Powers of Heart and Soul: Friendship, Family, Foes
by Harukami
Summary: Zelgadis finds himself unexpectedly falling for Xelloss - but what is the he up to? Lina the Knight of Shabranigido? Where'd all these dragons come from?
1. Prologue

Oh dear.  
  
I'm finally posting this - seven years after I started writing it, three years after I stopped - because I'm still getting requests for it, so I might as well.  
  
There is seven chapters out of nine total planned. Each chapter is very long - it started small (12 KB or so) and ... grew. The latest chapter was over a hundred KB, though I don't remember how much.  
  
I don't think I'm ever going to finish it. It's been four years now since I've written anything on it, and my style has hugely changed - for the better, I think. The first few chapters of this are unbearably awkward, angsty, and pre-teenish (Up to and including *author's notes*), and though it gets better with time (Starting around the third or the fourth, when I got rid of some of the Angsty Angst angst Angst), I don't think I can right in a way to mesh with it again. To finish it, I'd have to go back and rewrite things, and frankly, I don't have the time or energy for it, especially considering how my love for the Slayers world, though still *fond*, has faded.  
  
And well, yes, I'm so very glad I've learned and grown and seen my style mature, taken the opportunity of constructive criticism to grow into a better author. But I don't think that my earlier, less-clean work has to be something shameful to me.  
  
...Even if I do think the name is horribly pretentious.  
  
I hope you enjoy,  
  
Harukami 


	2. The Nature of Friendship

Powers of Heart and Soul: The Nature of Friendship   
  
Zelgadis doodled in the dirt with a stick, watching the campfire idly. It was late at night, but after the fight with some Mazoku yesterday, - cannon fodder under some enemy of Xelloss's... or Xelloss's master - no one felt like sleeping. Amelia had dropped off several times, but had screamed herself awake after the type of dreams everyone knew was waiting for them. Perhaps Xelloss was the only one who wasn't afraid of what his subconcious would dredge up, but it was also possible that Xelloss never slept.   
  
Instead of sleeping, the chimera studied his companions. Lina was staring into the fire as if trying to read something there. Her hair was dark flame itself in this light. From there, his eyes passed to the young shaman, Amelia. He sighed slightly. He liked her spirit and the promise he'd seen in her, so he'd agreed to teach her. Now she had a huge crush on him, and he didn't know how to deal with that. He liked her just fine, aside from her obsession with justice, and she was a good enough pupil, but by the gods, she was just a child! He simply wasn't interested, there was nothing truly to draw him to her, but he didn't want to ruin her spirit by telling her that. So he kept silent, and so did she.   
  
Across the fire was Gourry. He was polishing the blade that disguised the Hikari no Ken. [1] He seemed completely absorbed in the task - and probably was, what with the difficulties he had thinking. However, he was completely honest about him emotions, and made a good friend. Zelgadis smiled slightly.   
  
However, it changed itself into a scowl as he looked at his last travelling companion.   
  
Xelloss was back and by himself a little, but didn't seem to mind. He was sitting crosslegged a few feet above the ground and was humming some cheerful tune [2] to himself as he carved something from a block of wood. Every now and then the knife would slip and Xelloss's smile would widen for an instant as his hands bled slightly onto his carving, and then would go back to work. He must be using some kind of special dagger, Zelgadis mused, or he probably wouldn't even have bled at all. As it was, he only bled a little. Ordinary weapons cannot kill Mazoku.   
  
Zelgadis knew this from first-hand experience. Once Rezo had turned him into a chimera - part human, part golem, and part Mazoku, he hadn't been even able to kill himself. Now he had a goal to concentrate on, but then, it had been hell. He had never forgiven Rezo for that. He had hated Rezo.   
  
He hated Xelloss almost as much. Xelloss teased him, drew attention to him when he'd rather be left alone, got them into trouble and only occasionally out of it, acted so infuriating, so dangerous at times... he could kill without remorse... and worst of all, he was a Mazoku. He was what Zelgadis could become due to his body's nature. And he hated the goddamn priest even more when he found himself wondering if it would be all that bad to be Mazoku...   
  
Of COURSE it would be. Zelgadis had sworn to find a way to turn his body back to human, and then he'd not have to worry about... [3]   
  
"Whoops! Lost a finger!" that infuriating voice said cheerfully, interrupting Zelgadis's train of thought. The chimera glanced over to see Xelloss waving a hand with only four fingers on it. "Amelia-chan, will you get it for me?"   
  
Amelia's eyes went really wide and she clutched at her mouth, turning green.   
  
"Aww, c'mon, it's just a dismembered finger. What's the matter?"   
  
The young shaman ran into the forest where she could be heard throwing up.   
  
Calmly, Zelgadis picked up Xelloss's finger and carried it to the priest. Xelloss took it, smiling as usual. "Thanks, Zel-kun. You're such a pal!"   
  
Zelgadis couldn't help himself. He punched Xelloss as hard as he could. The priest slammed back into a nearby tree and Zelgadis raised his fist again.   
  
"Are you going to hit me again?" Xelloss whispered. The Mazoku raised his head, and Zelgadis could see the ecstacy clearly on his face. "If so... can you do it a little harder?" [4]   
  
Something inside Zelgadis clicked and all his hatred... disgust... fear of the creature came rushing forward and he started kicking Xelloss,as hard as he could. "I... hate... you stupid... fruitcake... Mazoku!"   
  
"Don't stop..." Xelloss murmured.   
  
Small hands clutched at Zelgadis's cloak, and Amelia's voice rang out. "Zelgadis-san, please stop! Don't hurt Xelloss-san any more! He didn't mean to upset me, he didn't know I'd get nauseous so easily, it's not his fault! Please stop, Zelgadis-san, you're scaring me!"   
  
Stupid, young girl! Doesn't she realize that there's so much more than that in this?! Zelgadis raged in his mind, but pulled his calmness over his face and turned away from Xelloss, who had pushed himself to his elbow and was shaking slighly. "Don't ever pull something like that again, Mazoku," Zelgadis said, knowing it was a useless statement, but feeling he needed to say something.   
  
"Remember," Xelloss called out behind him, "if you ever need to take your anger out on someone again, I'm always willing to be a punching bag for a friend!"   
  
"Friend," Lina said, speaking for the first time for that evening. "ARE you our friend, Xelloss?"   
  
"Why, Lina-san!" [5] Xelloss exclaimed cheerfully, "Of course I am! If I wasn't, I'd have killed several of you by now out of sheer boredom! You are all so entertaining I could stay with you guys forever, so I try to help you and get you out of trouble without letting you grow dependant on me. Of course I'm your friend!" Suddenly, he opened serious eyes. "Are you mine?"   
  
Lina raised her head, dark circles under her eyes, a physical sign of the horror she had witnessed earlier. "Xelloss... can you feel friendship for someone? You murdered the Gold Dragons... you did what you did to the enemy earlier tonight... how long will it be before you kill us?"   
  
"I don't intend to. You people are exactly what I need. Today, those were the enemy. You would never have treated them so ruthlessly, so I had to. If I hadn't, they would have done as badly to us."   
  
"You enjoyed it," Lina pointed out. "Would you have enjoyed OUR deaths as much?"   
  
Xelloss smiled. "Would you have enjoyed mine?"   
  
"Yes," Zelgadis muttered.   
  
"No," Lina said, "we wouldn't have. I would have missed you, for all your..." She trailed off. "But you didn't kill the Gold Dragons because they were enemies."   
  
"They were enemies," Xelloss pointed out. "All Dragons are our enemies, even if we like them personally. We are the opposite end of the scale: They promise justice and never give it, we promise destruction and pain and deliver. But, no, that wasn't why. There was a reason, though."   
  
"Well, what?" Lina demanded angrily. "What the hell could the reason have been?!"   
  
"That's a secret," [6] Xelloss said, and added, "a personal one."   
  
Lina dropped that subject. "You still haven't answered my question. CAN you feel friendship?"   
  
"Mazoku," Xelloss said, "although feeding off negative emotions and enjoying them, can feel positive ones. But in our society,..." he hesitated, and his face had never been so serious, "... in our society, bad things happen to ones who admit to such emotions. Very... bad things." He suddenly smiled again, as if dismissing the past. "So, are you my friends? I accepted you as friends for all your flaws. Do you accept mine?"   
  
"I don't know," Lina admitted. "I just don't know."   
  
Gourry looked uncomfortable.   
  
Amelia covered her face.   
  
Zelgadis scowled deeply.   
  
"I see," Xelloss smiled. "I'll give you some time to think about it." He vanished into the air.   
  
"Damn Mazoku," Zelgadis muttered.   
  
[Xelloss's POV]   
  
I love those dragons. I hate them for that. They fascinate me. They gave me hope. So I killed them.   
  
Damn them and their justice! There IS no justice! The past was proof of that to me. THere was no justice given to me in the past and it will continue that way. Yet those dragons believed there was justice, justice in everything, even when they themselves did unjust things. They made me begin to hope for a happy ending. To hope for justice. If any other Mazoku had found out... even if I DID start to believe in justice, the next time something unfair happened, it would destroy me completely. THe hope and the knowledge that there was no reason to hope scared me, so I destroyed the cause.   
  
I proved to them that there was no justice.   
  
That's why I let one of them live. Otherwise, they'd never have understood.   
  
But the root of that hope had already wormed its way into me. I cover it up, I love pain, death, chaos... and sometimes something in me longs for more. Fortunately, the intelligent part of me know it will never happen.   
  
Perhaps that's why my master sent me to watch over Lina. She needed someone to do it, but maybe she wanted to give me a chance at my wish. She likes me, and I like her. Maybe that was enough for her to want...   
  
No, that's being stupid. There is no justice. There is no hope for better things.   
  
Nevertheless, despite being a good killer, I was sent to watch over Lina. Maybe one day the orders will change, but not any time soon.   
  
I bring them an element of chaos, and they're drawn to me for that, much as they'd never admit it.   
  
And they understand about justice.   
  
Amelia is the only one who doesn't, but she will bring it on herself. Zelgadis doesn't love her, cannot love her the way she wishes. She's like his little sister. And soon, very soon, she will discover that life is truly unfair.   
  
Gourry? For all his apparent innocence, if something terribly unfair hadn't happened to him, he'd be a farmer in some small town, not a mercenary fighter.   
  
Lina is great. She doesn't trust me, but that's only right. She walks the fine line between good and evil. She's out for herself and her friends, and everyone else is unimportant. I like that. That's why I was honest to her earlier... well, as honest as I get.   
  
Zelgadis... ah, Zelgadis. You think you hate me, but you don't really. I'd feel that. You feel towards me as I felt towards the Gold Dragons. You fear me because you think you could become like me.   
  
I should encourage that. But instead I find myself wanting to comfort you. Sort of pleasant but sort of scary. The pain that desire causes is interesting.   
  
Hate can't bring pain like friendship can.   
  
THat's why I want them to be friends, right? It must be.   
  
So why do I wish for some of the softer... niceties of friendship?...   
  
Stupid Dragons.   
  
[End Xelloss's POV]   
  
It had been two weeks and Xelloss wasn't back yet. Zelgadis moved uncomfortably, fingering the object in his pocket, the carving the trickster priest had been working on.   
  
A Dragon. Xelloss's blood spotted it, making it look recently killed.   
  
Please, gods, let the Mazoku in me never make me like him.   
  
Still, it might not be too bad to see his annoying smile or hear his infuriating voice again, Zelgadis thought.   
  
He realized with horror that he was missing the priest.   
  
Like hell! Zelgadis raged mentally. It's probably his fault that we're being attacked so often now.   
  
They were all jumpy. Gourry kept his Hikari no Ken out, undisguised, Amelia and Lina were hair-triggered, and Zelgadis had found himself with his hand on his sword hilt of half-finished a spell before he realized it had only been the wind that had distrubed him.   
  
They were all dangerous now.   
  
"Zelgadis," Lina said quietly. "Did you hear that?"   
  
They all froze, silent.   
  
A rustle, and a twig snapped. Silence.   
  
Zelgadis rested his hand on his sword hilt.   
  
Two hands slapped themselves down on his shoulders. "Boo." a voice whispered.   
  
Zelgadis spun and thrust with his sword.   
  
Xelloss fell back, eyes open and wide in apparent surprise. Blood blossomed on his chest where the sword had run him through. He raised a hand to the wound. "You've killed me," he exclaimed. Slowly, he fell to his knees, trembling.   
  
"Gods!" Amelia cried out. Lina pulled the young girl close.   
  
"Xelloss..." Lina whispered, shocked.   
  
"Oh, no.." Gourry's eyes were wide.   
  
"Xelloss..." Zelgadis murmured. His weapon clattered to the ground. "I... I didn't mean to..."   
  
"You did..." Xelloss pushed his hands weakly against the wound.   
  
"I..." Distantly, Zelgadis's mind was reminding him that this was a damned Mazoku, but he couldn't seem to feel it. "I'm so sorry."   
  
"May I... have one last... wish from you?" Xelloss pulled the chimera near, his breathing rough and his voice difficult to hear. Zelgadis didn't resist.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"K - kiss me." Without waiting for an answer, he pulled Zelgadis's mouth to his with surprisingly strong hands.   
  
Zelgadis's eyes widened.   
  
"There," Xelloss smiled, and fell to the ground, limp.   
  
"Xelloss?" Zelgadis whispered, eyes wide. He was dead. The damn Mazoku was dead. He couldn't believe it. "Xel-loss?"   
  
Those demonic eyes popped open. "Just kidding!" [7]   
  
Zelgadis went from grief to anger in an instant. "You bastard!" He kicked at Xelloss's wound.   
  
"Ugh! Zel-kun, you know that - oof - ordinary weapons won't - uhhh - harm me." Zelgadis kept kicking. "AH! Look, while this is quite - ah! - pleasant, I'm trying to talk!"   
  
Zelgadis turned, torn between angry tears and a smile. "You fruitcake."   
  
Lina started to smile, then laugh. Amelia's eyes had remained wide since the kiss, and Gourry was looking confused.   
  
Xelloss stood and leaned in close to Zelgadis's ear. "Your Mazoku side will not draw you to darkness, Zel-kun. You have to be raised by Mazoku for that to happen. So any hatred you feel is caused by your past, not your nature." He raised his voice to its natural level again. "So don't worry anymore, ne?"   
  
"You mean..." Zelgadis stuttered. "I'm not... I don't..."   
  
Xelloss smiled brightly. "If you are, it's your heart that does it, not your body."   
  
Amelia was looking worried. [8]   
  
Zelgadis caught at Xelloss's arm before the priest could walk away. "Why? Why did you tell me this?"   
  
"Sore wa..." Xelloss cut short his favourite saying. "No. That's not right. I told you," he smiled, "because that's what a friend does. [9] So, we gonna stick around here all year or get a move on?"   
  
Notes   
  
I'm nuts. Absolutely.   
  
1: There is a metal blade in the hilt of the Hikari no Ken. If a button is pushed, it falls out and Gourry can summon the Hikari no Ken, used first to kill a Mazoku who had been summoned to fight them.   
  
2: The tune is But! But! But! (no, not Butt! Butt! Butt!, as some people have tried to make it out to be), his NEXT image song. It's cheery, shows GREAT character development, and also one of the things which implies that he's got a thing for Lina. (or Gourry, but probably Lina...)   
  
3: And so the quest for the Claire Bible that can change him back to human.   
  
4: There is a debate on-going on whether all Mazoku are sado- masochistic, most are, or they simply do not feel pain like humans do. However, as they feed off pain and hatred, their own and others, and as Xelloss and the other Mazoku I've seen go to great lengths to GET hurt sometimes, and usually seem to enjoy it, I'm saying that at the least, Xel-kun is Mazo. (giggle)   
  
5: Xelloss is the most polite to Lina. This is because of a few possible things. i) The beast-master, Xellas, his master, ordered him to keep watch over Lina. ii) it's rumoured he's in love with Lina [however, do not fear, yaoi fans... Xelloss acts like he's interested in everyone ('cept Amelia, thank whoever's listening at this time) and I doubt Mazoku understand the concept of monogamy... actually, considering what they feed off of, their society probably encourages affairs...   
  
6: Xelloss's favourite saying, used to infuriate people. "Sore wa Himitsu desu!" I'll say it in Japanese every time after that.   
  
7: Oh, come on, you didn't actually think I'd off him, did you?!?   
  
8: Check which part of the conversation she heard.   
  
9: He's lying, of course. He's not THAT out of character. 


	3. Beyond Friendship

Beyond Friendship   
  
After running up a gentle slope   
  
you should rest for a while and sit on the hill.   
  
Even the birds that sing while flying through the expansive sky ...   
  
Look, even they rest their wings and sleep. [1]   
  
"Finally!" Lina exclaimed, sigh escaping her lips. "I thought we'd never make it to Amberton!" [2]   
  
"And that means..." Gourry began.   
  
"DINNER!!!" The two began to dash towards the nearest inn.   
  
Xelloss floated up. "Hmm... seems like Gou-kun's going to win... no, wait, Lina's almost caught up... and... she grabs his hair and pulls him off balance... looks like Lina-san's the winner,dear fans!"   
  
Zelgadis raised an eyebrow at his antics. "Who are you narrating to?"   
  
"Eh? Sore wa Himitsu desu."   
  
"Whatever."   
  
Amelia turned towards Zelgadis. "Zelgadis-san... are you going to be coming in with us to the town this time? I'm sure that..."   
  
"Maybe later," the chimera declined. "I've heard that Amberton has a famous library."   
  
"And you want to look for a cure for your condition? I'll help!" She raised excited eyes towards Zelgadis, but froze at the expression on his face.   
  
The shaman shook his head. "No. I'd prefer to go this one alone."   
  
"I... I won't be a bother, I'll help! I promise!"   
  
"NO!" At Amelia's look of shock, Zelgadis lowered his voice. "I'm sorry, Amelia. But I'd like a little time alone, thank you." He pulled his hood lower over face and set off in the general direction of the library.   
  
The young princess fought tears. I will not cry, she thought fiercely. I am Amelia, champion of justice, and I DO NOT cry!   
  
She jumped, startled, feeling a hand on her shoulder. "Uh... What is it, Xelloss-san?" She asked, forcing cheerfulness. She couldn't break down in front of him... epecially because...   
  
"He's been acting awfully moody lately. Do you know why?" As usual, Xelloss's face did not reveal any of his thoughts.   
  
"N - no. Do you?"   
  
"He seems lonely."   
  
"Yes." That was exactly how he was seeming, Amelia realized. How smart of Xelloss-san to have figured it out! "Do... do you think I should go after him?"   
  
Xelloss's eyebrows jumped up in surprise. "You want to know what I think?"   
  
Amelia rubbed her foot in the dirt. "Well... yes."   
  
"I think that would be a wonderful thing for you to do!" Xelloss enthused. "Sometimes when humans... well, whatevers in Zel-kun's case... say they want to be left alone, they are using a sort of code to ask for people to be with them!"   
  
"So I should go after him?"   
  
"That would be an idea."   
  
Amelia nodded, eyes bright. "Thanks, Xelloss-san, I won't forget this!" She shouted, running off in the direction Zelgadis had taken.   
  
"It would be an idea," Xelloss repeated quietly, smile lingering on his lips. "Just not a good one."   
  
Always so far away...   
  
I'm hurrying along the way to become a fighter   
  
No way will it stretch to my hand so easily   
  
I remember the people through these same pupils [3]   
  
Zelgadis sat down amongst the shelves with a sigh. It had taken him enough effort to get in here... apparently some books had been stolen recently, and they'd wanted a good look at his face. Of course, when they saw his skin colour and texture, and his curs'd Mazoku eyes [4], they'd given him a lot of difficulty to get in there. He'd finally convinced them that he was a poor boy looking for a cure for his curse.   
  
That long ago, it wouldn't have been a lie.   
  
But now, Zelgadis had almost given up, had resigned himself to a scaled life. What he was actually here to research was quite a different matter.   
  
Xelloss had been watching him for a while. This made Zelgadis worried. What had encouraged the Mazoku to take such an interest in him?   
  
And some of those comments he'd thrown out, about Mazoku society [5] were very intriguing. Perhaps there were some answers to be found about those infamous secrets of Xelloss's. And if they could be found anywhere, they would be found in books.   
  
Or revealed by the trickster priest himself, but Zelgadis knew there was little chance of that happening.   
  
Except that Xelloss HAD given away information that Zelgadis had never expected to get: what his new nature meant. And given it away freely.   
  
Unless it was a lie.   
  
It was probably a lie.   
  
Why wouldn't he lie?   
  
Zelgadis sighed, searching the shelves carefully. Where... where? Ah! A rare smile widened on his face. A personal account of various Mazoku figures. Probably not very accurite, but it would have a grain of truth.   
  
He pulled it down and began searching through the index.   
  
'X... Xenotear... Xellas...' "Not quite" 'Xellire... Xelloss. "Xelloss Metallium, p. 675-683."   
  
Excitedly, he flipped through the book, searching the yellowed pages for the right ones.   
  
He smiled as he saw a badly-drawn picture of Xelloss... wearing full robes, with hair down to mid-back, and face very serious, but quite obviously the same Xelloss he knew. "Xelloss Metallium, born fourty-three (6) years before the Dragon/Mazoku wars, is one of the most infamous creatures under the Beastmaster. He seems to play as her personal assassin, taking on with relish the assignments she gives him, mostly involving violent deaths. The Mazoku family [7] he was originally born to were very violent, even for Mazoku, and when Xelloss's twin brother, Xerinier,'s body was found mutilated under strange circumstances, it was thought by most that it was their parents who were responsible. After that incident, it has been said that Xelloss stopped talking for ten years, and on the same day he next spoke, his parents were murdered violently, dismembered. Xelloss himself was still a child at the time, and was put into a custody under a Mazoku sage. The child was apparently an avid reader and practically devoured the information in the sage's books. When he got to the end of the the general library, servants report that he begged repeatedly to be allowed into the sage's private collection. The sage denied him repeatedly, and eventually whipped him with an enchanted whip. That evening, his library burned down, and the sage perished in the flames. None of his books were ever found. Xelloss's past continued like this with aquaintances, lovers, and masters all ending up dead. This attracted the Beastmaster's attention, and she took a special interest in watching the young man. Eventually, she invited him for a private conversation, and..."   
  
Zelgadis frowned. Here the script stopped, and blood marred the next few pages. [8] He flipped ahead in hopes of more information, but when he finally was able to make out the words, they were in a different handwriting, one much more difficult to puzzle out. He bent over the book closely, and was on the edge of figuring something out, when he heard a familiar voice call his name.   
  
"Zelgadis-san? You were looking sort of sad, so I thought I'd come and visit you." Amelia had a bright smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes.   
  
The chimera shut his book with a sigh. "What do you want, Amelia?"   
  
"Just to be with you." She sat down beside him and peered at the book. "What's that? Did you find anything? 'Xelloss...' XELLOSS?!"   
  
Zelgadis slammed the book shut, almost catching Amelia's nose in the bargain. "What. Do you want, Amelia?"   
  
"Why are you reading about Xelloss-san? Why is he important to you? I thought you were looking up a cure..."   
  
"It's hopeless, Amelia," Zelgadis said through his teeth. "There IS no cure. Rezo might have had one, but Rezo is dead. Dead. Do you hear me? There is no chance of me ever becoming human."   
  
" I'm really sad.. about that... But what does that have to do with Xelloss?"   
  
The chimera sighed, confused at himself, and getting angry about it. What did it have to do with Xelloss? Why should he bother to research the stupid Mazoku, anyways. "Leave it, Amelia."   
  
"But..." Amelia tugged at his sleeve. "But I'm worried! Why are you researching Xelloss?"   
  
"Is it important?"   
  
"YES!!" she said vehemantly. "Because... because I think he's in love with you, but he can't have you! That's just wrong... and... and because I love you!"   
  
"No. You don't," Zelgadis said with perfect assuriedly.   
  
Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes. "Yes I do! I love you!"   
  
"You're infatuated with me. It will pass. I'm your teacher, Amelia, and I'm far over your age. [9] It would never happen."   
  
"Age doesn't matter!" She was clutching at his sleeve so tightly that it was in danger of tearing. "Nothing matters if you love someone!"   
  
Zelgadis smiled grimly. "I care about you, Amelia, which is why we can never be more than friends. Whatever you've convinced yourself about about me, it's wrong. I want to be your friend... friends are one of the few things I can value. But I cannot be your lover, or husband, or whatever. For one thing, you're the heir, and I hate being among people. Whether I was king, or consort, I'd have to spend my time among too many. And I don't think you're the kind to want to be merely lovers. I can't give you what you want, Amelia. Even if I was in love with you, I couldn't force myself to go against my nature to do all that. I DO love you, but as a friend only." Seeing the tears running down her face, he felt awful. "I'm sorry, Amelia. I really am."   
  
"I..." Her voice broke. "I... it wasn't supposed to be like this... I never thought it would be like this. Zelgadis-san... I... I love you. It's not going to go away."   
  
"It will go away, with time."   
  
"I don't want to lock you up, but I can't... It hurts so much inside!"   
  
Zelgadis reached out and patted her hand. "I do understand what that feels like. I don't think I'm the best person to lean on to help you through this, because I am the problem, but as your friend, I'll do what I can to make it easy on you."   
  
"Do... do you love Xelloss?"   
  
"WHAT?!?"   
  
"Do you love Xelloss?" She looked down. "You do, don't you?"   
  
"NO! Of course not! There IS no love in our love/hate relationship."   
  
"But they say you always hurt the ones you love, and you pound him all the time... you watch him all the time... and sometimes you blush... and..."   
  
"I..." Zelgadis was at a loss for words. "I admit I don't know HOW I feel towards him, hate, friendship, or whatever, but... I'd know if I loved him, wouldn't I? I COULDN'T love a damn Mazoku!" He laughed. "I don't think you need to worry about that."   
  
"It... it took me a long time to admit what I felt for you was... love. But it was. I don't know if you love Xelloss or not... but I... I think it would hurt to know, one way or another. If you did, I'd have reason to feel that I wasn't fooling myself that you could love me, and it might make me hate Xelloss. If you didn't, I'd probably hate myself. I think... I just don't want to know, yet. Maybe by the time you have figured out, one way or another, I'll be able to face it... as your friend. But... now... I... I just can't..." Tears streamed from her eyes and her breath caught in her throat as she began to sob.   
  
For a minute, Zelgadis didn't know what to do. Then he reached out and hugged Amelia, patting her back lightly, like a friend. "Amelia... I AM sorry. If I was able to love you like that, I would... but you feel sort of like the sister I never had... you're family, not romantic... I'm sorry."   
  
"I know." Her voice, heavy with tears, seemed very old for a moment. "If... you'll excuse me, I want to be alone for a while." Slowly, she stood, and walked away.   
  
Love? Zelgadis thought. Is this all it brings?   
  
"Let's walk unhurriedly and patiently   
  
Let ourselves be guided by "flashes" or chance happenings   
  
Everyone Sha la la la la lala   
  
and continue our respective journeys under the same sun   
  
for the sake of the happiness and chance meetings that tomorrow brings."   
  
Xelloss turned and smiled at Amelia as the young shaman came running towards the inn. "So, how did it go?"   
  
Amelia kept her eyes down and tried to hurry past, but the Mazoku phazed in in front of her.   
  
"Please, I'm interested!"   
  
She turned eyes angrier and more filled with grief than he'd ever seen in her before on him. "Just. Fine. Thank you."   
  
The trickster priest put a hand to his face in mock horror. "Amelia! What hatred! What did that wicked chimera do to you?!"   
  
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Amelia cried out as tears began to flow, and ran back towards the inn.   
  
Xelloss's smile widened and he followed her in, but remembered to turn his face perfectly worried before entering the dining room. Lina and Gourry were staring up the stairs anxiously, presumably because the princess had just run past there. Lina turned to Xelloss. "Xelloss... what's wrong with Amelia?"   
  
His 'worried' expression deepened. "She just came back from spending a lot of time with Zelgadis and she seemed to be hurting a lot. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me to leave her alone. I think," he lowered his voice and looked around as if upset about people over-hearing. "I think Zel-kun stole her innocence." [10]   
  
Lina's eyes burned with righteous fire. "That... that WORM! I trusted him, but I guess he showed his true colours..."   
  
"Really," Xelloss soothed, "it's obvious what she felt for him, and maybe he just couldn't keep his feelings in any longer."   
  
"All men are such JERKS!!! How could he DO that to such a sweet girl?!?" Lina raged. "Oh, I'll show him... Where is he?!"   
  
Xelloss coughed under his breath. "Last I knew he was at the library, but after what happened, he probably left and will be difficult to find."   
  
Gourry was scratching his head. "What exactly are we talking about here?"   
  
Lina sighed, stood on tipetoe and whispered in his ear.   
  
The swordsman's face gradually became a mask of horror. "You're kidding! You don't seriously mean that..."   
  
Lina clapped a hand over his mouth. "Quiet! Do you want to disgrace her?!"   
  
The blond shook his head rapidly. "No." he whispered. "Of course not."   
  
The fiery redhead let her breath out in an angry huff. "Let's split up to try to find him."   
  
"Great!" Xelloss said, taking over. "Lina-san, you take the library because you're so wonderful with dealing with people. Gourry, you're a good outdoorsman, so you check along the river. I'll check around the inland countryside. Good luck. Remember poor Amelia!"   
  
"RIGHT!" Lina and Gourry shouted, setting off in their directions.   
  
The trickster priest's smile widened. "Of course, don't get your hopes up," he murmured. "He won't be at the library now, and I happen to know he doesn't like water, what with being very heavy. However, since I know where he is at all times, perhaps I will succeed."   
  
"Speaking to myself, now, I keep walking on.   
  
Talk to my dreams and keep walking on.   
  
Where, where now should I keep living?   
  
I don't want to live like a runner forever   
  
Filthy, filthy paths, I don't want to be alone...   
  
Voices bring us together, wounds become strength   
  
I accept tomorrow's challenge"   
  
Zelgadis sighed as he set up camp. There was no way he was going back to the inn tonight... Amelia would want some time to herself.   
  
Unfortunately, that gave him time to think.   
  
What DID he feel for Xelloss? Lots of anger, yes... but why? He was annoying. Amelia could be just as bad sometimes, and he didn't hate her. He was dangerous. So was Zelgadis himself... so were all of them. He was Mazoku. Zelgadis himself was part Mazoku and he didn't hate himself much any more. Because he made Zelgadis care?   
  
Care for what?   
  
Care to protect his friends?   
  
Care for Xelloss himself?   
  
Zelgadis knew that Mazoku liked pain, being part Mazoku himself, and he always attacked Xelloss anyways. Why? To give himself pleasure? He could get that other ways. To give Xelloss pleasure?   
  
Did he want to please Xelloss?   
  
Zelgadis forced himself to examine that without allowing himself any of his usual denials. Maybe. The look of ecstasy that crossed Xelloss's face always gave him a thrill. He thought it was something else, but it might have been... what? The thought that maybe it was only him who saw it?   
  
That it was only him who received it?   
  
That maybe Xelloss cared?   
  
Mazoku don't care, was his first thought to that, but then he reminded himself that he himself was part Mazoku, and he KNEW he cared for his friends. Xelloss could care. Maybe. And maybe he wanted Zelgadis to think that and just hurt him later.   
  
No, if so, he would have 'confessed' to Zelgadis already. He hadn't. Why?   
  
Maybe he hadn't seen this coming, and simply hadn't taken advantage of it because of that.   
  
Maybe he was scared Zelgadis would reject him.   
  
The chimera almost laughed aloud at that. Xelloss? Scared? Of emotion? His laughter died out. Perhaps he was. Xelloss rarely ever allowed anyone to see any true emotion.   
  
Probably, he had been like since his brother died.   
  
Still, the book said that Xelloss was known to killed his lovers. Not the best person to be in love with. But maybe if they had cared about him ...   
  
"I can't believe I'm even considering this," Zelgadis groaned aloud, and fell back from his sitting position to knock his head on the ground.   
  
Or he would have. But instead his head hit something soft. [11]   
  
"Took you long enough to notice I was here," Xellos commented with amusement, staring at the head in his lap.   
  
Zelgadis sat bolt upright in shock. "YOU!! How long were you here?!"   
  
"Long enough to see you completely absorbed in your thoughts." Xellos leaned backwards, opening his eyes to gaze at the night sky. "Nice night for star-gazing. Not that you noticed, contemplative as you were."   
  
"You could have announced yourself," Zelgadis commented dryly.   
  
"And missed the chance to see you not noticing anything? Never. By the way, the others are mad as anything at the way you broke Amelia's heart."   
  
Zelgadis paled.   
  
"Oh, I misdirected them so they wouldn't find you," the trickster priest smiled.   
  
Lina tore her hair out as the librarian rambled at her. "No, look... LOOK! I'm not here for any of your books! I just want to know if there's this guy here who's, you know, blue and kind of scaly..."   
  
The librarian pursed her lips. "Oh. Him. I thought he left already. Headed out of town."   
  
Lina cursed and set off in another direction.   
  
Gourry looked around hopelessly. "I'm so lost."   
  
"Whether you're sad or you're happy   
  
your falling tears are very beautiful...   
  
If you accept your true feelings and are honest to your own heart   
  
you will no longer have anything to worry about."   
  
"I can't believe Amelia told them what we talked about," Zelgadis sighed.   
  
"Oh, she didn't. They just extrapolated from given information." Xelloss butt-slid over to sit beside Zelgadis. "So, whatcha thinking about?"   
  
"Nothing."   
  
"Didn't look like nothing." Xelloss poked at Zelgadis's throat. "See? If I'd wanted to kill you, I could have done so while you weren't paying attention."   
  
"Why didn't you?"   
  
Xelloss smiled. "Sore wa... Himitsu desu."   
  
The chimera snorted. "You and your secrets."   
  
"Hey, a guy's gotta have some mystery." Xelloss started playing with the tips of Zelgadis's hair, watching it spring back into position. "What were you looking up in the library anyways? I thought you'd given up on a cure."   
  
"I - " Zelgadis turned so he was nose to nose with Xelloss, and said, very seriously, "Sore wa Himitsu desu."   
  
Emotions crossed Xelloss's face rapidly... astonishment to anger to disbelief and finally to amusement. He threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, Zel-kun, that's funny. As if I couldn't find out your secrets if I chose."   
  
Zelgadis smiled darkly. "I know. I thought of it myself. And I found out a few of yours."   
  
Xelloss's eternal smile faded. "You found out some of my secrets? Which ones?"   
  
"I'm not going to tell you just like that."   
  
The priest shook his head. "Among the Mazoku, we have a saying." He put his lips against Zelgadis's ear. "Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead."   
  
Zelgadis turned so they were nose to nose again. "So kill me. Sometimes I feel you'd be doing me a favour."   
  
Xelloss's eyes opened fully, staring at Zelgadis. "You do want to die, don't you. Why?"   
  
"I don't want to talk about it."   
  
Xelloss sighed and leaned back, wiggling his feet. "Ok. Realize that I am absolutely amazed at myself for suggesting this, but how about we have a secret-trading session? We both swear to tell the truth and not to tell anyone else, and we both feel better in the end." He gazed at the stars. "Honestly... sometimes I want to tell my secrets more than anything."   
  
Amelia lay on her back on her bed, tears running down her face. It wasn't Zelgadis's fault. She couldn't force him to love her.   
  
He couldn't love her.   
  
Choking, she rolled over to bury her face in the pillow, drowning her tears in the feathers.   
  
"Tonight, the stars break my sleep...   
  
While I count them, I breathe a sigh...   
  
The faraway path is only a detour   
  
How many tears must the underdog shed?"   
  
"So, what do I have to do?" Zelgadis looked nervously at the staff the smiling Mazoku was holding out.   
  
"Just put your hand on the gem and swear to tell the truth to my questions, and never to tell anyone else." Xellos smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, it will just connect the two of us so we will know if the other is lying and give him a good psychic kick in the ass."   
  
The chimera frowned suspiciously. "It's your staff. Will you be affected?"   
  
"Oh, yes. This staff wasn't mine originally and it would be more than glad to see a new owner. Now swear," Xelloss told him.   
  
Zelgadis placed a hand upon the gem, feeling the smooth curve under his fingers. "I swear by the strength I desired so long ago to tell the truth to Xelloss's questions and not tell anyone else."   
  
A burst of pain/pleasure jolted up his arm, and along his body, leaving him gasping for air. He could feel a sense of 'Xelloss' on the edge of his awareness now.   
  
Xelloss removed the staff from his numbed fingers and placed his own hand on it. "I swear by my love for the one I lost to tell the truth to Zelgadis's questions and not tell anyone else." Zelgadis watched Xelloss's eyes close in enjoyment and shivered.   
  
Xelloss opened those unnerving eyes again. "All set up. Of course, if either of us tell anyone our secrets, that person will be incinerated so nothing remains."   
  
"WHAT?!?"   
  
"Just don't tell," Xelloss smiled.   
  
"How did I let you talk me into this?" Zelgadis groaned.   
  
"By your own free will. First question: Why do you want to die?"   
  
Zelgadis sighed, picking through his mind to find the answer. "I... I'm so tired of it all. I have nothing, really. No goal. No humanity, really. No home. No happiness. I had friends, but after my talk with Amelia, I don't know if I'll even have that. I'm so lonely, even when I'm surrounded by people, and so ashamed of it all."   
  
Xelloss tilted his head. "You're alive. You've got people who care... like Amelia, even if it hurts her. Like me."   
  
The chimera sucked his breath in, but Xelloss was continuing.   
  
"... You've perhaps not got an active family life, but you don't want one. You're unhappy because you feel you should be. Because you feel you deserve to be. But you don't. You try to be honest and good, and there's nothing to be ashamed about in your behaviour. You're more human than I am, and personally, I don't think not being human is a fault. You are ashamed of shadows, not yourself at all."   
  
Zelgadis choked. "How would you know?!? How would you know how it feels to be so lonely you just want to curl up in a ball and die?! Nobody understands!"   
  
"If you think that, you haven't dared to look out of your little shell and see." Xelloss had Zelgadis by the front of the shirt and was shaking him. "And you have the gall to say that nobody understands you." The Mazoku pulled his hand back and slapped him.   
  
"What?!"   
  
"That's for your self pity," Xelloss snorted. "You think just because you're different, nobody can understand you. I've got news for you, Zel-kun. Everyone is fundamentally alone! We're all lonely!"   
  
"Lina's got everyone following and loving her."   
  
"And powers that even she doesn't fully comprehend and people can't see that."   
  
"Amelia is the much loved princess!"   
  
"Who isn't loved by the one she loves."   
  
"Gourry is so placid and easy going."   
  
"And in love with Lina but never daring to say it."   
  
"You..."   
  
"I?"   
  
Zelgadis looked down and whispered. "You're always smiling."   
  
"And you want to ask me why?"   
  
"Why, Xelloss? If you understand this all so well, why do you always smile?"   
  
Xelloss's eyes closed, but not into his customary smile. "Because... because otherwise I couldn't deal with anything. Otherwise, either everyone would die, or I would."   
  
The chimera leaned forward, trying to gauge the Mazoku's expression. "Your brother. Because he died?"   
  
The Mazoku's eyes snapped over and he grabbed Zelgadis's throat. "What do you know about that?!"   
  
"Answer me..."   
  
"Yes. Because Xerinier died. He was my mirror. My other side." Xelloss seemed to notice Zelgadis pulling at his fingers, trying to breathe, and released the chimera. "I should have died, you know. It was me my family hated. He was just an afterthought. He cast the shadow. I was the shadow. When he died, I had to change or lose myself."   
  
Zelgadis coughed. "But... but didn't you lose yourself in the change?"   
  
"No. I found reality. MY reality. I discovered the joy of death, of blood flowing over my fingers as screams echo in my ears. The ecstacy it brought to my body and soul. Pain had always been pleasant, but it became the only thing I had left. For ten years, I buried myself in my pain, filling myself with it, drowning in it, until I knew the pain better than anything else. It comforted me." Xelloss's eyes were smiling in rememberance. "It let me find a haven where nothing could bother me. And when I came out to visit the world, I wanted my family to discover the darker side the pain promised to deliver to them."   
  
"You killed them."   
  
The smile turned on Zelgadis. "The same way they killed Xer-chan. A slow pull. Each seperate piece coming apart as well as it fits together. With Xer, I had light to dance with and darkness to doze with, but when he was gone, the darkness woke up. The light was fine, but it was gone, so everyone should have known the darkness."   
  
Zelgadis felt, in the 'Xelloss' he was connected to, delight, joy, hatred... loneliness. "But they were gone... didn't you find the light again?"   
  
"I thought so, for a little while. The old man gave me books. I grew on them. They were wonderous, telling me stories, truth, lies. Telling me how to hide and be out in the open at the same time. I wanted more, and perhaps if he let me see his special books, I would have let myself equally open to light and darkness. But he didn't. He whipped me, with a whip that left scars, in places people wouldn't casually see. I felt the pain and loved it but hated him. He had no right to do that to me. I saved the books, but they no longer meant anything."   
  
It was all Zelgadis could do not to scream. He felt the fascination, wonder... briefly, happiness... then searing agony/pleasure, and Xelloss's frustration in hating both, wanting both, needing to be left alone but not given it. He pulled his knees to his chest to hide the reaction his body was making that Xelloss's body had also made... but then, Xelloss hadn't been able to hide that shame. "So," Zelgadis said huskily. "You were dealt a terrible hand. But..."   
  
"But it didn't matter, you see. I lost hope at that point. I sometimes felt it again, whenever I made what I thought was a friend, whenever a lover kissed me. But it was a lie. They never wanted me, just the power I had discovered in those ten years long ago. Wanted influence, to brag that they'd slept with the cursed Xelloss. It was too much, and I hated them all." The chimera was struck with another of Xelloss's rememberances. Eyes smiling up at him from a soft bed, giving away to an ecstacy like/unlike the pain. Then hearing them bragging when they didn't know he was there. The casual questions about the power level he had. Their screams as they were punished for their attitude. His own/Xelloss's laughter ringing but not drowning out the screams. Zelgadis suddenly realized what it had cost Xelloss to try to become friends with them.   
  
Xelloss suddenly smiled again, and the memories holding Zelgadis faded. "Then Metallium-sama found me. She gave me a purpose. She actually respected me." Happiness. Hope. "If I had started there, I might not be what makes you all so frightened. But I wouldn't have started there then. It's too late now for the scars to go away: that's what makes them scars. I am what I am and if none of you can accept that, then none of you will ever truly know me. You can't expect me to stop being what I am just because I told you this."   
  
Zelgadis shook his head. "No... no. I can't. You are this way because you were formed this way. That's the truth. People don't change when their circumstances don't warrent it. But I wonder..."   
  
The trickster wagged a finger in front of Zelgadis's face. "Ah ah ah. I answered a question of yours, now you answer one of mine."   
  
The chimera nodded. After that, it was only fair. "Ok. What is it?"   
  
"Why don't you love Amelia? She does love you."   
  
Zelgadis buried his face in his hands. "I know she does. But... but I don't love her like a lover. Like a husband. If anything, I love her like she were my sister. I watch out for her, care about her, would indeed sacrifice myself for her, but anything romantic I simply could not do. It would just be wrong. I... I love her like you loved Xerinier."   
  
Anger came across the bond, anger at the comparison, then reluctant agreement. "Then I could see the difficulties there."   
  
Zelgadis lowered his eyes and nodded.   
  
"I believe you had another question to ask?"   
  
"Right." He looked up again. "Do you ever want more? That light back again? Someone who loves you for yourself?"   
  
Xelloss sighed, and a wistful longing came to Zelgadis. "There's nothing I want so much. That's why I kept trying and losing. But I know that nobody can love me. I'll never feel that light again so I must satisfy myself with the darkness. Just the darkness. As it is..." A clench in his chest. "As it is, I'm so lucky to even have a few people who think of me as a friend. Who'd miss me if I die, and not for my usefulness. People like you, even if you hate me as well."   
  
"I don't hate you."   
  
"You don't?" Barely smothered hope. "That's good. More than I ever expected from this millenium."   
  
"I would never have agreed to this if I hated you." Zelgadis felt his lips curve up in a smile, something he hadn't done in a long time.   
  
Xelloss stared, and Zelgadis felt his astonishment/delight/amusement. "You're smiling! Perhaps the gods themselves have taken a hand in this conversation!"   
  
Zelgadis scowled again. "Go to hell, Mazoku," he snarled, but made sure that the real like made it across the bond.   
  
"Been there. Done that," Xelloss smiled. "So, a question..."   
  
"Hm?"   
  
"Are you scaled all over, or just your face?" [12]   
  
Zelgadis slammed his fist into Xelloss's face.   
  
And gasped for air as he felt exactly what Xelloss felt whenever he did that, instead of the minor bits his own Mazoku nature picked up. A moan escaped from his throat.   
  
"Surprised?" Xelloss smiled. "But you must answer the question, you know."   
  
"...All over," Zelgadis answered shortly, trying to catch his breath. "Part of the curse."   
  
"Must be interesting."   
  
"Not the word I'd use." When he looked up at Xelloss again, he saw that he was smiling a REAL smile, not the one he showed to the world... an honest smile. "I... there's another secret I'd like to tell you."   
  
"What a day this is," Xelloss said, shaking his head. "Actually volunteering to tell me things. What is it?"   
  
Zelgadis looked around, and moved a finger in a come nearer motion. Xelloss obliged.   
  
"I - " Zelgadis said and gave up on words, merely taking Xelloss's face in his hands and covering the Mazoku's lips with his own.   
  
*Surprise/astonishment/need/hope/nonothope... *  
  
Experimentally, trying to see how Xelloss would react, Zelgadis ran his tongue over the Mazoku's lips.   
  
*hope/need/fear *  
  
The Mazoku gasped and pulled away, eyes wide, face showing all his emotions for once. A hand wandered up to brush against his lips, and then he shook his head as he phazed out.   
  
Zelgadis let out a sudden surprised huff of air. What possessed me to do THAT?! he wondered.   
  
"I FOUND YOU, YOU UNCARING BASTARD!!!"   
  
I mean... ok, maybe I do like him. Maybe I truly understand him now. But do I love him?   
  
"HOW CAN YOU DARE TO DO THAT TO AMELIA!"   
  
"Yeah, she's just a little girl!"   
  
Love. A Mazoku. Xelloss. Do I? Do I love him?   
  
"Pay attention! WE'RE GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS FROM HERE TO SAIRUUN!"   
  
Yes. I think I do. Gods.   
  
Isn't that Lina and Gourry? What are they ranting about?   
  
Zelgadis's eyes widened as he took in what they were saying... what they had obviously assumed. And who had made them assume that.   
  
"XELLOSS!" He yelled. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"   
  
"Both the stars that fall mysteriously and the cold wind...   
  
Secretly, nature conveys an important message.   
  
Someday shalalala lala   
  
I want to whisper privately to you the secret that I have hidden...   
  
I will always stay with you and look after you from behind."   
  
Sitting back on the roof of the inn, Xelloss raised a quavering hand to touch his lips. Shabrinigido-sama... he was shaking. He hadn't shaken for years.   
  
And the most frightening of all, The bond had told Xelloss that he had meant it. He had meant the kiss perfectly honestly.   
  
Had he found some way to get around the staff's binding? To fake such a message?   
  
He couldn't have!! He didn't even know how the staff worked.   
  
Xelloss clutched his knees to his chest. Oh, he'd wanted Zelgadis for a long time, had planned how to seduce him and then torture him, listen to his screams... but somehow, the plan had gotten turned around.   
  
Now Xelloss was being seduced. And he knew it.   
  
You'll only hurt more, he warned himself.   
  
And yet... he wanted so badly to love... to be loved...   
  
"I can see the dream, but what does "today" mean?   
  
You should understand, again, that it encourages me!"   
  
Zelgadis fell back against on the grass with a sigh, staring at the stars. He'd finally managed to convince the others that he hadn't 'taken advantage of' Amelia. Fortunately, they were all used enough to Xelloss's tricks that they'd believed him over the Mazoku. A smile crossed Zelgadis's lips and disappeared.   
  
Xelloss. Why?   
  
Why him?   
  
Was there any reason? Other than he finally understood?   
  
The chimera closed his eyes, sighing. Whatever the reason, he couldn't deny that he...   
  
"Hey, there, stranger!" A fingernail pinged off one of the scales on Zelgadis's chin. He opened his eye to glare balefully at the smiling Mazoku.   
  
"Xelloss." He shut his eye again. "I'm surprised that you showed your face back here again after..."   
  
"...after?" Xelloss questioned.   
  
"After you set the others on me with news that I raped Amelia."   
  
The trickster priest put a hand to his heart and recoiled. "Me? I'm shocked! Would I ever do such a thing?!"   
  
"Yes."   
  
Xelloss nodded. "Glad you know that. But they merely took the wrong impression. I never actually said the word rape."   
  
Zelgadis opened his eyes. "You really can be a bastard. Didn't you think about Amelia's feelings?" [13]   
  
"Well, no. Should I have?"   
  
The chimera sighed again. "Yes, but I could hardly expect it of you."   
  
Laughing, the Mazoku slapped Zelgadis's chest, injuring his hand. "Don't worry, I didn't imply it in front of her and the others will be too embarrassed to tell her. She'll never know! And the embarrassment serves them right for doubting you."   
  
"Hmm."   
  
"So." Xelloss lay back beside Zelgadis. "Nice night."   
  
"Hmm."   
  
"Why DID you research me?"   
  
Zelgadis shrugged. "Just wanted to know."   
  
"'S that all?" Xelloss rolled onto an elbow to look at the chimera.   
  
"At the time, I believed so."   
  
"Mm." With avid curiousity, the Mazoku started pinging Zelgadis's scales again. "You're sweet, Zel."   
  
Zelgadis's eyes widened. "Nobody's called me that for a long time."   
  
"What, sweet?"   
  
"No, 'Zel'. Just Zelgadis. Mother used to, but she.... oh, well, that was a long time ago."   
  
"It offends you, then, Zelgadis?"   
  
"No... it's kind of nice." Zelgadis's eyes closed again, but he snapped them open as Xelloss went back to pinging his scales. "Will you cut that out?"   
  
Xelloss didn't answer. "They're so hard. Can you feel anything through them?"   
  
"Yeah. I think Rezo did it just to torture me. So people could attack me and I'd feel the pain but it wouldn't kill me."   
  
The Mazoku reversed his finger and ran the nail down one, hard. "Is pain that bad?"   
  
Jerking back involuntarily, Zelgadis swatted at his finger. "Back then, the pain of living was as bad as it could ever get."   
  
"Tried to kill yourself?"   
  
"..."   
  
"I just want to know because I'm a rotten bastard at heart."   
  
"Bite me," Zelgadis snarled.   
  
Grinning, the Mazoku buried his teeth in Zelgadis's shoulder.   
  
The chimera gasped, blushing suddenly. "You jerk! I didn't mean it literally!!"   
  
"Oh? Well, I did chip a tooth." Xelloss ran his fingers over the rend in the chimera's shirt.   
  
"That' s not what I felt through the staff, though."   
  
"YOU KEPT THE SPELL ON?! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU COULD REMOVE IT!"   
  
"Yeah, I just didn't."   
  
Zelgadis narrowed his eyes at the smiling priest. "Why. Not."   
  
Xelloss's smile widened even more. "I sort of like feeling you all the time."   
  
"Wh - what?"   
  
"Just... knowing you're there. Does wonders for the sanity."   
  
"I keep you sane?" Zelgadis wondered.   
  
"No. The opposite."   
  
The shaman blinked, then scowled.   
  
Smiling, Xelloss lay his staff between them and started pinging the chimera's scales again "Don't frown. Your face will freeze that way."   
  
"Do you mind?" The pinging was really getting to Zelgadis now. Xelloss was so close, only handsbredths away, and he was finding it hard to think. "So you're keeping this staff's spell on?" He reached to rest a finger on the red stone.   
  
"NO! DON'T TOUCH I - " t! he's feeling this, I know he is! He feels my uncertainty/lust/fear/... I can't keep it from him, no matter what I do... no shields, nothing... I can't keep him out, I can't...   
  
Xelloss? Zelgadis said/thought.   
  
and he's burning too... I haven't burned like this for so many centuries.. Sorry, Zel, I should have warned you that with the spell on, when you touch it we're bound even tighter.   
  
I can't stop it?   
  
Only if you take your hand off -   
  
Figuring out, as if from far away, how to operate his body, Zelgadis removed his finger, breaking the intense mind contact.   
  
They stared at each other. "Well," Zelgadis said.   
  
"Indeed," Xelloss agreed. [14]   
  
They stared at each other.   
  
Wind whooshed. [15]   
  
Really, Zelgadis thought, his eyes aren't that scary. Even if they are Mazoku eyes.   
  
They stared at each other. [16]   
  
Quite possibly, Zelgadis realized, we'll be sitting here until morning if somebody doesn't do something.   
  
Xelloss did something.   
  
He blinked. "Um."   
  
"I didn't mean..."   
  
"It's alright if..."   
  
They both paused awkwardly. "You go first!" They said together. [17]   
  
The Mazoku coughed, and the coughing turned into laughter. Zelgadis found himself smiling, a dry chuckle escaping. L-sama, they must look so stupid... looking down, he blushed, and felt a wave of desire rush through Xelloss to him. [18]   
  
And Xelloss's lips were pushing against him, his body pushing against the chimera's, hands grasping at him roughly, almost painfully, hurting but not hurting. Zelgadis moaned against the Mazoku's mouth as Xelloss ran his nails along his chest through his shirt.   
  
Xelloss pushed back slightly. "You always wear so many clothes," he complained, then solved the problem by utilizing some of his Mazoku strength to tear the shirt open.   
  
"Hey, wait!" Zelgadis protested. "These are the only clothes I have!"   
  
"Get more. Grey doesn't suit you anyways," Xelloss smiled.   
  
Xelloss leaned back on his heels, giving Zelgadis time to gasp for air as he undid the clasp of his cloak, letting it slide to the ground. His shirt was next, hurriedly untucked and tossed to one side. He sat there for a moment, clad only in his silk pants, then leaned in to kiss Zelgadis again, almost gently this time.   
  
Okay, Zelgadis thought, I can get a new shirt. He ripped the rest off himself, then lay back to let Xelloss's hands roam for awhile. L-sama...   
  
Xelloss started to slide his leg over Zelgadis's body, then froze suddenly. From the staff, the chimera felt a kind of shockwave travel fast through Xelloss.   
  
The trickster priest pulled back and Zelgadis moaned in protest. "I'm sorry," the Mazoku whispered, distressed smile on his face. "There's nothing I can say but really, really bad timing."   
  
Then he was gone, teleported away. [19]   
  
Zelgadis sat up, frustrated and alone. "You bastard! What am I supposed to do now?!"   
  
"Everyone shalalala lala   
  
And continue our respective journeys under the same sun   
  
I will always stay with you and look after you from behind.   
  
Someday shalalala lala   
  
I want to whisper privately to you the secret that I have hidden...   
  
I will always stay with you and look after you from behind."   
  
Xellos levitated in front of his master. "Xellas-sama," he said as calmly as he could, tightening the fastenings on his pants, "you changed the reception area."   
  
The Beastmaster chuckled, the sound obscene coming from her many-tentacled body. "The lava was beginning to bore me. Phosphorus caves are in, don't you know?" [20]   
  
"I like it. You could have done much worse."   
  
"Such as?"   
  
"Oh, fuschia. Such a terrible colour." [21]   
  
Again, a chuckle. "I'm glad you approve, Xellos. I'm sorry to have called you away at such an inopportune time."   
  
He smiled gallantly at her. "Ah, but for my one true love, I'd come at any time."   
  
Her body moved in her equivilant of an amused bow. "Dear sir." Yet again, the monsterous chuckle. "But really, Xelloss, a chimera? You could have done better."   
  
Xelloss's smile faded down to a shadow. "Oh? Perhaps. Perhaps not."   
  
"You contradict me?"   
  
"No, I merely say that decisions were made, and were they not, who would say what might have happened. At any rate, I'm here now. What did you want me for?"   
  
"Xelloss, would you agree that Lina has not yet utilized her full power, even when she has used the Giga Slave?"   
  
"Yes, Xellas-sama, though she prevented Shabrinigido-sama's rebirth, she has not found her limit yet."   
  
"And you keep saying this. Is it possible you are wrong?"   
  
Xelloss shrugged. "Miracles can happen."   
  
"So sure of yourself. Lina's sister is the Dragon's knight, the knight of Cepheed, is she not?"   
  
"Yes. Luna Inverse is the Dragon Knight." He smiled. "The Lina-spooker. Lina is the Dragon-spooker [22], bringing it full circle."   
  
The Beastmaster shifted in her spot. "Not quite full circle. Have you ever wondered who the Knight of Mazoku is?"   
  
Xelloss's eyes widened. "You believe that Lina-san is the Knight of Shabrinigido?"   
  
"I believe that it is a great possibility."   
  
"Wouldn't Shabrinigido-sama be displeased, considering she prevented his rebirth?" Xelloss wondered.   
  
"No ... why do you think I sent you to watch her? He was intrigued by her power."   
  
"I see. And you want to prove that she is the Knight to gain Shabrinigido-sama's good will. What do you wish me to do?"   
  
The Beastmaster smiled. "I want you to kidnap one of her friends."   
  
"I beg your pardon?" Xelloss couldn't possibly have heard what he thought he had heard. No, wait, this was his master he was talking to. He probably had. "Which one?"   
  
"I'll leave it up to your good judgement. You did say that the thing Lina valued above anything else was her friends?"   
  
"Indeed," Xelloss agreed. "Anyone she calls a friend, she will do anything to rescue. Quite possibly even me."   
  
She chuckled. "A lot to learn, perhaps, but nevertheless powerful. I'll trust you to make a decision that will satisfy both you and me."   
  
Xelloss smiled his true smile. "I fully intend to."   
  
Lina sat on the edge of Amelia's bed. "Amelia? How are you?"   
  
"Lina?"   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"It doesn't matter." Amelia smiled shakily. "It just doesn't matter."   
  
Lina stroked the little girl's hair. "Of course it matters, Amelia."   
  
"No... nothing can change it now. Everything is decided." She shook off Lina's hand. "It's okay, really. Things are as good as they can be. It's just that I understand now."   
  
"Amelia..."   
  
"I understand." She burst into tears.   
  
"Where, where now should I keep living?   
  
This straight path is so boring...   
  
Dusty, dusty paths, I'll cut my own   
  
Inside my thoughts, wounds become strength   
  
I walk on, tomorrow..."   
  
Xelloss teleported back to his original location where Zelgadis lay, very still. "Ne, Zel?" For a minute, he thought Zelgadis was asleep. Then...   
  
"You're back."   
  
"Mm-hmm."   
  
"Go away."   
  
The Mazoku sat down next to Zelgadis. "You don't mean that. It's not MY fault that I've got a higher up I have to answer to who has a really bad sense of timing." He hoped Xellas-sama would forgive him that one tiny slight.   
  
"Go. Away."   
  
"You think I WANTED to go? If I hadn't, Xellas-sama would have not only punished me, but whatever was keeping me."   
  
"So?"   
  
Xelloss lay down and draped an arm over his chimera. "Now you're just sulking."   
  
"I am not," Zelgadis said sulkily.   
  
"Wanna try again?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Mind if I kidnap you?"   
  
"Not funny."   
  
"Not a joke." Xelloss smiled down at Zelgadis. "I am completely serious."   
  
Zelgadis turned over. "Okay, you. Explain."   
  
Notes   
  
1 - Quote from "Secret: Somebody's message", Xel's TRY image song.   
  
2 - This is actually a name of a town in an original fiction of mine, but I'm dimensionally challenged.   
  
3 - This is a quote from Zel's image song, "We Are"   
  
4 - He's got those kawaii slit pupils that all Mazoku have.   
  
5 - See "The Nature of Friendship"   
  
6 - I am SO making all of this up.   
  
7 - did he have one? Anyone know? I'd be glad for advice for revisions.   
  
8 - I wonder why... ^_^   
  
9 - Well, it's possible, since rumour has it people with magic don't age, and he's part Mazoku, and part golem... and his grandpa/great-grandpa is much older than that.   
  
10 - Read the sentance again. Nothing incorrect about it. ^_^   
  
11 - Tee hee!   
  
12 - It keeps changing in all the pictures! Grr!   
  
13 - Xel: No. Of course not.   
  
14 - At this point, my pet SD Valgarv started scratching his head.   
  
15 - Began to chuckle.   
  
16 - Rolled on the floor giggling like a maniac.   
  
17 - Began choking he was laughing so hard. (Meanwhile, my pet SD Zel and SD Xel were under a teacup trying to inspire me.)   
  
18 - It worked.   
  
19 - And the author somehow avoids a lemon. *Drowns in vengeful hentai tsunami*   
  
20 - And, you know, bubbling caves of lava are so, like, yesterday!   
  
21 - "However, I look good in blood-red dresses."   
  
22 - Also spelled 'spoocr', for 'steps past out of clear revulsion'.   
  
Notes On Names   
  
Xelloss can also be spelled 'Xellos' and 'Zeros' but I like 'Xelloss' better.   
  
Xellas is the most common spelling of the Beastmaster's name, but also is spelled 'Zelas' and 'Xelas'.   
  
Metallium also spelled Metallum.   
  
You noticed that Xellas Metallium and Xelloss Metallium are strangely similar names? Which came first, the Dragon or the egg?   
  
Valgarv: also Val Gaav.   
  
Gaav: Also Garv.   
  
Gourry: once badly missubbed Goudy.   
  
Luna is Lina's sister. Surprise.   
  
Shabrinigido: spelled so many ways it doesn't really matter anymore.   
  
Cepheed: IS there another spelling? 


	4. Strains on Friendship

STRAINS ON FRIENDSHIP - by Harukami haruka_lover@hotmail.com  
  
part 3 of the Friendship Trilogy  
  
Yume ran long red nails over her viewing stone. "Hmm. I see. The Beastmaster  
  
is on the move."  
  
Laughing, she settled back in her chair, the near-translucent red dress shifting  
  
to show a large amount of flesh. "I've attacked and attacked her current interests (1),   
  
but she hasn't given up." She reached for the rope to summon one of her servants. "It  
  
must be time to make it a little more personal."  
  
Ringing it, a Tentacle Beast came low to her feet. "Fetch my little pet," she told it.  
  
Briefly, she contemplated turning to her more inhuman form, but she knew that  
  
the one she was in now was far more frightening to her pet than the other. This form   
  
could do things to him that the other could not.  
  
Two more human-looking servants dragged her pet to her feet, pushing him into   
  
a low bow, their claws gouging scores in his back. "Hello, pet," she addressed him with   
  
a smile. "Your pleasure in seeing me is, as always, complementary.  
  
His long black ponytail had slid over one shoulder, red-clad as were all the   
  
servants or slaves of hers who wore clothing, and the flesh it revealed had new, reddish  
  
scars on it, welts that she knew agonized him. It would fade, in time, his people being  
  
close to as regenerative as was her own. That was a pity, she always thought, because  
  
those marks of pain branded him as hers as no clothing could. A smile rested briefly  
  
on her face.  
  
Fighting against the hands that held him and gouging more red lines across his   
  
shoulders in the process, he managed to lift his head, revealing a proud face and   
  
malevolent yellow eyes with their slit pupils (2). Those eyes always bothered her. She   
  
could brand him and brand him as much as she wished, but those eyes would always  
  
remain his own, always remain Dragon.  
  
"Damn you," he hissed at her.  
  
One of her servants raised a hand to claw at his face for his lack of respect,  
  
but she shook her head. "Do not. I will be sending him out in a bit and I do not want  
  
any signs of recent abuse on him."  
  
He spat at her. "Do you seriously think that I would do what you want me to?!?"  
  
She rose. "You are my slave, pet."  
  
"Heh." He tried to fight off her servants' hands momentarily, then turned his   
  
attention back to her. "You can do what you like to me. You always have. Yet I know  
  
that the hatchlings are safe now, in return for me, so I will take it. But I will never...   
  
NEVER do your will."  
  
Yume laughed, sashaying closer. "You are such a stupid Dragon, pet."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Sliding down beside him, she began to caress him. He flinched away from her,  
  
but there was nowhere to run. "You think I'd give away my trump card?"  
  
"We made a deal!" He cried out. "A Black Dragon slave in return for the   
  
hatchlings back! You'd already shown you were serious, ruining their minds while  
  
still in the eggs and then selling them as pets at carnivals (3)! You gave the eggs  
  
back, I saw you!"  
  
She nibbled along his neck and he whimpered as fear flooded back into him  
  
with the memories of all the times before. "Stupid pet. Those were fakes. Now I have  
  
a full-grown Dragon slave as my pet AND a bunch of eggs waiting to hatch... or to be  
  
ruined and sold. Poor Black Dragon hatchlings, never learning to take on humaniod  
  
form, thinking of themselves as insuperior beings to humans... you don't want that to   
  
happen again, do you?"  
  
"Damn you," he whispered, defeated. "What do you want me to do?" After  
  
she told him, he tugged at the leather harness he was wearing. "So I can remove  
  
this?"  
  
"No. I can't have you turning into your full Dragon form whenever you wish,  
  
can I? You will wear that. But, unfortunately, I must get you into different clothing. The  
  
Beastmaster has a servant among them, and he would recognize the uniform.   
  
Something in blue, perhaps." Her predatory smile widened. "I'll choose it and dress  
  
you myself, my pet."  
  
***  
  
A strange look was on Zelgadis's face when Xelloss had finished explaining.  
  
"I see," he said. He glanced down. "Why did you tell me this? Why didn't you just do  
  
it?"  
  
Xelloss's smile was contemplative. "I'm not sure. Of course, it's much  
  
easier to kidnap you if you know it's going to happen and let me."  
  
"That's not why."  
  
"No, but it sounds good, doesn't it?" the Mazoku smiled.  
  
The chimera sighed. "You're twisted." He put his head on one side, thinking.  
  
"Still, if Lina DOES have that power, it would be better if she knows it, than if she   
  
discovers it by accident and puts everyone at risk."  
  
"Oh, assuriedly."  
  
"Even if she chooses not to BE the Knight, she still should know she has a  
  
chance at it."  
  
"Definately."  
  
Zelgadis glared at him. "Stop agreeing like that."  
  
Laughing, Xelloss shook his head. "I can't win, can I? So what do you say?"  
  
"Yes, you can kidnap me." The chimera thought hard. "You'll have to do it   
  
in front of the others though, to get them really riled up. Otherwise..."  
  
"I know. I won't be able to tell you when I'll do it, though, I'll just seize the   
  
moment and you at the same time." Xelloss snuggled closer. "So now that THAT'S  
  
decided..."  
  
A wicked smile crossed Zelgadis's lips. "If you're going to kidnap me soon, I   
  
had better be well-rested so I can put up a proper-looking fight. Goodnight, Xelloss."  
  
"But Ze~e~e~elllll...."  
  
"Goodnight, Xelloss."  
  
"You're still trying to get back at me for having to leave earlier."  
  
Zelgadis pulled a blanket up around his shoulders. "Mm-hmm. Goodnight,  
  
Xelloss."  
  
***  
  
Amelia turned over, wiping a hand across her nose and wincing as it hurt a lot  
  
more than she had expected. "Gods, crying brings out the worst in me," she sniffed.  
  
She slid out of bed and peered at the small mirror provided with their rooms.   
  
It was nice for Lina to have agreed to kick Gourry out of his bed and sleep in his room  
  
so that Amelia could have a room to her own. She didn't really want other people to   
  
see her like this. She figited slightly, trying to get her hair back into something   
  
resembling its normal bounce. "Why can't I stop crying? It's nothing more than I   
  
should have... expected..." she felt the tears welling up again and held her breath,  
  
trying to keep them in. Not again. She didn't want to cry.  
  
She couldn't *stop* crying.  
  
Gods, if she'd confessed and Xellos DIDN'T love him...  
  
He'd better! She thought fiercely. I risked myself because I thought he might  
  
have loved Zelgadis-san... I wanted to let him know how *I* felt... Oh, gods! She   
  
doubled over, clutching at her chest, the sharp stabbing pain that struck through her.  
  
Slowly, she dressed in her usual outfit. Maybe she'd better talk to Xelloss. He  
  
was a Mazoku and fairly cruel more often than not, but he had said he could feel   
  
positive emotions... maybe it would make her feel better to talk to him  
  
The young shaman walked down the hall quietly, not wanting to wake anyone  
  
else up as the floor creaked. She stopped at the door of the room they'd got for Xelloss,  
  
and hesitated. What if he laughed at her? Teased her? It was certainly in his nature  
  
to do so.   
  
Maybe she shouldn't...  
  
Her resolve firmed. She was Amelia Wil Tessla Seiryuun, and she would not  
  
back out of this like a frightened child.  
  
Even if she felt like a frightened child.  
  
She rapped lightly on the door, and was met with silence. Asleep? It WAS late  
  
at night, she supposed, and just because she wasn't able to get to sleep, that   
  
didn't mean that HE wouldn't be able to.  
  
But she HAD to talk to him. She turned the knob slightly and opened the door  
  
a crack, peering in.   
  
Nobody was there.  
  
In fact, it looked like Xelloss hadn't even bothered to have a look at the room.  
  
Swallowing her heart again, she closed the door. Maybe I can talk to him later,  
  
she thought.  
  
Still, there was no way she could go to sleep tonight. Maybe... "I'll take a walk,"  
  
she murmured aloud.   
  
This WAS a city, and there would still be some shops open. Maybe she could do  
  
some shopping.  
  
And if some thugs attacked her, why, they'd feel the Justice of Amelia's hand!  
  
Somehow, 'justice' seemed to stick in her throat.  
  
Shopping. Yeah. That might be nice.  
  
***  
  
Xelloss watched Zelgadis sleep, gentle smile lingering about his lips. Funny,  
  
he'd never thought he'd be feeling like this. Not for anyone.  
  
Anyone.  
  
He reached out to brush some wayward hair out of Zelgadis's eyes. The   
  
hair pinged back into place immediately. Oh, yeah, Xelloss remembered, it was about  
  
as malleable as iron.  
  
He was cute.  
  
Zelgadis sighed slightly in his sleep, bottom lip sticking out in a small pout.   
  
Xelloss's smile turned slightly more wicked and he poked at the lip. Zelgadis, still asleep,  
  
bit him.  
  
Oh, yes. This was simply the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to   
  
him.  
  
***  
  
Rough cobbles ground under Amelia's boots as she walked. She was beginning  
  
to feel tired now, after a long time spent walking in the dark with nobody there. Nobody.  
  
And the only shops that seemed to be open were... she blushed.  
  
Passing another lighted window, she glanced at it, prepared to look away   
  
quickly. Then she stopped, realizing it was something else.  
  
A magic shop.  
  
She tried to decide between it and just going back to the inn, and chose to go  
  
in. After all, she came here to get cheered up.  
  
As the door opened, the shopkeeper waved at her. She waved back, more   
  
cheerfully than she felt, and turned to examine some of the goods. The first thing  
  
that caught her eye was a nice looking dagger, and she picked it up, examining it,  
  
only to feel the shopkeeper's hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, miss," he said   
  
apologetically, "but that's not for sale. It's mine." (4)  
  
She blushed immediately and handed it to him. "Sorry!"  
  
"No, no. Most people just don't see it." He smiled lopsidedly at her. "I'm Jef.  
  
What can I help you with?"  
  
"Actually, I'm just looking around."  
  
"We've got a sale on love potions."  
  
For a second, she actually debated it, then sighed, disgusted at herself. "No,  
  
thank you, though."  
  
Jef leaned in close, looking around... as if there was anyone to overhear! "I'll  
  
be honest with you, miss. Most of the stuff we have in right now is junk and not worth  
  
your time. However," he pulled out what looked like an ordinary stone, "this is the best  
  
thing you'll find in this city."  
  
She sweatdropped.  
  
He shook his head. "Really! It's even better than enchanted weapons. This is  
  
a Canceller. It stops magic for half a minute, if it hits the enchanted object. Can't you   
  
see how useful that would be? If there's some artefact about to cause the end of the  
  
world in an instant, hit it with this and the world is saved."  
  
Amelia sighed. "Sure, I'll take it. Can't hurt to have something like that on hand."  
  
She reached into her pouch. "How much is it?"  
  
He smiled. "Five silver pieces."   
  
Her mouth dropped. "You're selling it very cheaply for something that powerful."  
  
Jef shrugged. "Nobody else would buy it. It looks like a rock after all. But it's  
  
actually made from a piece of the very top of the Staff of the Gods. (5) Very useful thing.  
  
You look like you can use a fallback piece."  
  
Smiling, she counted out the money. "Maybe it will come in handy sometime."  
  
***  
  
Guntair ran a finger under his harness, trying to get it away from his chest for  
  
a moment. He hated the damned thing. It trapped him, and always gave him the  
  
vague feeling that something unpleasant was walking over his skin. It made him smell  
  
like sweat.  
  
Checking himself over in the mirror, he sighed. He couldn't deny the fact that  
  
Yume did have good fashion sense. She... it... knew how to make him look his best.  
  
It almost made him want to disfigure himself.  
  
He knew what she'd do to him if he did that. He loosened the ponytail some,  
  
not letting it escape its ties, but covering the fresh scratches on the back of his neck  
  
from Yume's nails. He felt bile rise in his throat and choked it down. He would be  
  
strong.  
  
His deep blue shirt was open at the chest, revealing the disgusting harness but  
  
making it look like simply an adornment. The shirt tucked under the waist of the harness  
  
and flared out behind him like two tails. His pants were black and tight at the top,   
  
relaxing at mid-thigh. Carefully, he attatched his thigh sheath and slid a dagger in it. If  
  
his sword went missing, he didn't dare go unarmed. Not when he wasn't able to take   
  
on his true form.   
  
Carefully muttering under his breath all the things Yume had told him to say,  
  
he followed one of her servants to the outer chamber. Yume herself waited there, that  
  
hateful smile lingering on her lips as she ran her gaze over his outfit, making him feel  
  
dirtied. "Aren't you forgetting your weapon?"  
  
Damn, she was forcing him to talk again. "You kept it, remember."   
  
She waved a hand and a servant dragged it forward, unable to lift it. Yume   
  
lifted it with one hand, bringing the full ten feet of his blade (6) around to point at him. "I   
  
was just checking to see you did." Reversing the blade, sliding it in her hand, she   
  
handed it to him hilt first. "Do your job, pet."  
  
He took his favourite weapon from her wicked hands. "Of course." He walked  
  
past her, out into the fresh air he so rarely experienced.  
  
Behind him, her voice rang out. "And I do not think you would enjoy the result  
  
of failure... my pet."  
  
***  
  
Morning broke, and it was time to get on the road again. The group of   
  
adventurers gathered hurriedly to get everything together. Amelia was noticibly   
  
bleary-eyed, and Zelgadis was looking fairly suspicious and kept fingering his lip.   
  
Xelloss was Xelloss. Lina and Gourry finished off the pantry at the inn and they were  
  
on their way before anyone noticed. (7)  
  
Lina and Gourry rode at the front, chatting together excitedly about something or  
  
other, probably having to do with the rumours of a gang of bandits lurking nearby.   
  
Which meant Amelia rode beside Zelgadis with Xelloss floating above.  
  
"So." Zelgadis cleared his throat. "Sleep well?"  
  
"No." It soon became clear Amelia wasn't going to elaborate.  
  
"Ah."   
  
Xelloss flipped over onto his stomach, floating in a position like he was laying  
  
down, and reached down to restyle Amelia's hair. Zelgadis casually Flare Arrowed him.  
  
Then closed his eyes and tried to pretend he hadn't suddenly felt the blast of   
  
pleasure coming through the staff. So Xelloss still hadn't turned that off.  
  
When he opened his eyes again, he saw Amelia looking at him a bit oddly. He  
  
tried to think of something to say, and, unable to, began to panic.  
  
Surprisingly, Xelloss pulled a save. Having recovered and floated up to their  
  
level again, he turned to Amelia. "You must be awfully tired, mustn't you? If you like,  
  
I'll carry you so you can sleep without the horse bumping you up and down and up and  
  
down and up..." he bobbed with his words.  
  
"No. Thank you."  
  
"...and down and up and..."  
  
"I said no, thank you." She was beginning to eyebrow-twitch.  
  
Xelloss turned upside down so he was eye-level and continued. "and down and   
  
up and down and up and down..."  
  
"Would you stop that?" she asked crossly.  
  
"Oh, but it's fun. And up and down and up and..."  
  
"BURST RONDO!"  
  
The repeated blast hit the Mazoku squarely and blasted him into the dirt ahead on the road, where he was promptly stepped on by Lina and Gourry's horses.  
  
Zelgadis doubled over his saddle, gasping for air.  
  
"What's YOUR problem?" Amelia demanded.  
  
He somehow managed to turn his gasps to chuckles. "That was... well done."  
  
Amelia and Zelgadis's horses stepped on Xelloss, who was just beginning to get  
  
up again.  
  
The chimera went into a fit of coughing.  
  
The young shaman eyed him. "Zelgadis-san, you're acting very odd today." Her  
  
smile almost looked real to Zelgadis, and he would have believed it if it had reached her   
  
eyes.  
  
"Uh... yeah. I didn't sleep too well either." Her eyes widened and he fought to   
  
contain a blush. "I, uh, kept having weird dreams."  
  
"Ah." She went silent again.   
  
Xelloss caught up, dirtied and with his cloak torn slightly. There was a hoofprint  
  
in the middle of his forehead. "You know," he said, "I don't think that anyone's ever   
  
actually ridden over me before. Pity, it's an interesting experience."  
  
Zelgadis glared daggers at him.  
  
"Ne, ne, Zel-kun, don't you think it would be? Maybe you should try it sometime."  
  
The chimera's hands twitched.  
  
Turning to Amelia, the Mazoku priest's smile widened. The hoofprint had   
  
mysteriously disappeared. "You're awfully quiet today."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
"I know! Why don't we play twenty questions! I'm thinking of something,  
  
ask me a yes/no question."  
  
"Uh... is it blue?" Amelia sighed, clearly wanting to be left alone.  
  
"Sore wa Himitsu desu!" Xelloss answered cheerfully.  
  
"FREEZE ARROW!"  
  
The reins snapped in Zelgadis's hands.  
  
Amelia turned her attention back, ignoring the frozen Mazoku in the road  
  
behind them. "So. Uh. That's a nice new shirt you have, Zelgadis-san. I didn't think  
  
you had any other clothes... Zelgadis-san?"  
  
"Uh..." He pulled his mind to the present. "Yeah. It's, uh, new."  
  
"Suits you."  
  
Somehow, Xelloss had unfrozen himself and caught up again. "His last one  
  
tore, didn't it, Zel-kun?"  
  
Zelgadis sighed. It was going to be a long road trip.  
  
***  
  
The Black Dragon shielded his eyes from the sun, looking for a glimpse of his  
  
quarry on the road, and sighed. The leather was hot against his skin in this weather.  
  
Around him, he could hear Yume's troops moving into position around the pass  
  
to set up a good ambush. It was vital to her plans that he get the adventurers to trust  
  
him.   
  
And of course, her troops were disposible.  
  
***  
  
Lina ran a hand through her hair, and leaned towards Gourry slightly. "Don't look  
  
now, but it seems we're riding into a great ambush area."  
  
"So we do the usual? Let them attack and then defeat them?"  
  
"That's the plan."  
  
"Do you think we should tell the others?"   
  
Lina glanced over her shoulder. Zelgadis was riding with his eyes closed and a  
  
look of despair on his face, and Amelia was hitting Xelloss repeatedly with something   
  
heavy. "I don't see how we could point it out without alerting possible ambushers. We'll   
  
just have to hope they notice it as well."  
  
***  
  
Xelloss opened his eyes slightly, ignoring momentarily both the saddle repair   
  
equiptment slamming into his head and the delicious distress/desire coming from his  
  
chimera, sensing something odd on the air.  
  
His smile began to become his true smile.  
  
Other Mazoku.  
  
Looked like his chance was about to happen.  
  
***  
  
Amelia dropped the equiptment with surprise as people rushed in all around   
  
them. It landed on Xelloss and knocked him to the ground. "Wh--what?"  
  
Lina and Gourry were already off their horses and hacking at the enemy with  
  
glee. Zelgadis looked like he was in shock and didn't move even when someone   
  
charged at him with a sword raised. "Zelgadis, look out!" she screamed, terrified,  
  
as the blade swung down at him. She needn't have worried; the blade snapped off  
  
and flew to bury itself in the ground nearby. The attacker looked surprised and  
  
went for the chimera, arms out.  
  
He disintigrated into dust as Xelloss rose from the ground and touched him,  
  
whispering something softly.  
  
The young shaman's eyes were wide with terror as the Mazoku she'd just been  
  
beating rose. His purple aura glowed around him malevoleantly, and his eyes were   
  
open truly and promising death to whatever they fell upon. He glanced at her briefly,  
  
and she fell back, whimpering, hating to be afraid but not able to help it. His smile  
  
widened, hungrily, and he pulled something from his cloak.  
  
Throwing it to the ground, he murmured a word, and everyone froze, unable  
  
to do anything but watch.  
  
He put out a hand and a blast of energy exploded from it, winding into bands  
  
and surrounding Zelgadis. A pained noise was torn from the chimera's throat as  
  
they touched him. Xelloss Metallium picked the chimera up, smile wide as the bands  
  
burned into his own clothing.   
  
"I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid here is where I must take leave," he said clearly.  
  
"And I'm taking this with me. Orders and all that. I can't say what will happen to him  
  
when my master gets ahold of him, but that will be as it may. Come and get him back,  
  
if you can. I'll be waiting." He gave a mock bow to them all, and vanished.  
  
Everything started again, and Amelia fought with tears flowing from her eyes.  
  
She should never have even begun to trust him. Never.  
  
***  
  
Guntair rushed into the battle. That must have been the servant of Yume's  
  
enemy. Pity, he'd had an urge briefly to help whoever was the enemy, but seeing the  
  
anger on the adventurer's faces, he realized that there was no way he'd help someone  
  
like that. He was as bad as Yume herself.  
  
One of them was crying.  
  
The kidnapped one's lover? Guntair wondered. One of Yume's troops was  
  
bearing down on her and she didn't seem to care. "WATCH OUT!" He shouted, rushing  
  
to her side and cutting the attacker down. That was one of the ones who had hurt him.  
  
The girl crumpled.  
  
He bend down to her level. "Are you ok?"  
  
***  
  
Amelia looked up. The newcomer had slit pupils and a concerned expression.  
  
"Who..."  
  
"Tell you later!" the swordsman shouted, spinning to cut down another enemy.  
  
"Gotta fight!"  
  
He wielded the weapon as if it was light. Amelia shook her head, suspicious   
  
but at the same time greatful. If he hadn't saved her then, she'd never be able to rescue  
  
Zelgadis.  
  
She gathered energy for a spell.  
  
"RA TILT!"  
  
***  
  
Lina and Gourry blinked as the enemy was abruptly cleared away. "Well,"   
  
Gourry said, "that was fast."  
  
The red-haired sorceress blinked. "Amelia, did you just use the strongest  
  
shamanist spell to annihilate a bunch of bandits? No, wait, stupid question." Her   
  
bemusement cleared away to anger. "Xelloss..."  
  
The new swordsman cleared his throat. "Actually, miss, those weren't bandits.  
  
They were Mazoku."  
  
"HUH?"  
  
He turned, anger on his face. "I've been hunting that group down for a while.  
  
I make it my job to kill off as many Mazoku as possible."  
  
Lina peered more closely at his eyes. "Are you..."  
  
"I'm a Black Dragon." A bitter smile crossed his face. "I was cursed by some  
  
Mazoku to prevent me from becoming my true form, and since them, I've hunted   
  
down all Mazoku." He held out his hand. "My name's Guntair."  
  
The sorceress's eyes grew dark. "How'd you like to come along to help  
  
track down a certain Mazoku?"  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis glared silently as Xelloss placed him on the ground gently, dusted him  
  
off, and only then removed the spell.   
  
"I didn't hurt you TOO much, did I?" Xelloss questioned.  
  
"I'll live. I should have expected it when you said you'd put on a good show."  
  
The Mazoku smiled. "Could you have expected any less from me?"  
  
Getting shakily to his feet, the chimera glared at his clothes. "You've ruined  
  
them."  
  
"You could always take them off."  
  
"No thanks. Where are we?" Zelgadis looked around.  
  
The room was a semi-dark cave, lit only by phosphorus light. "We're in my  
  
master's domain. Wolf Pack Island, her... uh, reception room," he smiled, then peered  
  
into the dark ahead. "Ah... Xellas-sama?"  
  
A husky chuckle and the light rose around the far end. "That was fast, Xelloss."  
  
"Aren't I always?" Xelloss smiled. He nudged Zelgadis. "Zel, this is my master,  
  
Xellas Metallium, the Beastmaster. Be polite."  
  
Zelgadis's eyebrows raised at the sight of the wolf-shaped, tentacled Mazoku  
  
but in never crossed his mind to be rude. "My lady," he said politely, bowing.  
  
Xellas chuckled again. "What a nice young chimera," she said, amusement  
  
in her voice. "Xelloss?"  
  
"Ah, yes, this is Zelgadis Greywars. Can I keep him?"  
  
The chimera shot him a look.  
  
"Whaat?"  
  
Xellas sighed. "Xelloss..."  
  
"Please?"  
  
The Beastmaster rose from her haunches, giving an odd sort of shrug.   
  
"Up to you, of course, but I'm not going to forbid you." Her tongue hung out in an  
  
odd smile. "And, of course, up to the chimera. Good work, Xelloss. Did it all go  
  
according to plan?"  
  
"Yes, Xellas-sama. They'd all gladly see me hanging dead from a tree tied  
  
there by my intestines with my feet nailed to my ears."  
  
"Good. Don't let them get to him too easily. Move him around now and then.  
  
I'm going to go hunt now."  
  
Xelloss bowed, took Zelgadis by the arm and teleported them to his own domain.  
  
Zelgadis sweatdropped as he stumbled with the abrupt location change.   
  
"Xelloss... was she laughing at me?"  
  
"Probably. She IS my master."  
  
The chimera sighed and for the first time looked around. "Giku!"  
  
"What, don't you like the silk sheets? They're new."  
  
Zelgadis turned to Xelloss, something like desparation in his eyes. "Xelloss,  
  
it's been a really long day."  
  
"All the more reason to make it better at the end, ne?"  
  
"I don't think..."  
  
"So don't," Xellos smiled. "Sometimes it's nice to just act. Really, Zel-kun, if  
  
I didn't know better, I'd think you were shy." He wrapped his arms around Zelgadis  
  
and began nuzzling the chimera's neck.  
  
"Stupid Mazoku." Zelgadis tried half-heartedly to push the Mazoku away but  
  
just succeeded in knocking them both to the bed. "Oh... don't..."  
  
Xelloss pressed his whole tall body against Zelgadis. "Don't what?" he purred.  
  
"Uh... that."  
  
"You are shy!" Xelloss exclaimed, delighted. "Why? I've felt your desire all day.  
  
So why?" He laughed. "It's almost like you're a virgin!"  
  
Zelgadis fought anger and embarrassment and ended up looking away,   
  
blushing.  
  
The Mazoku ran his fingertips over a red cheek. "You don't mean..." he blinked,  
  
completely surprised. "You are, aren't you?!"  
  
"Shut up," Zelgadis growled, pushing away from Xelloss. "Just leave me alone."  
  
"But why? You've certainly been old enough for a while." He pulled Zelgadis   
  
near again. "And from what I felt, you'd certainly have a hard time staying celebate,   
  
with your hormones!"  
  
"Not when nobody wants you," Zelgadis growled.  
  
"Mm?" Xelloss tried to capture Zelgadis's lips again, but the chimera pushed him  
  
away.  
  
"When Rezo made me like this, I was barely out of childhood!" Zelgadis snarled.  
  
"I lived in the woods away from anyone who wasn't family. Grandfather made me   
  
like this on a brief visit. After that, no one would touch me! I'm an ugly freak!"  
  
"Zelgadis," Xelloss sighed. "You..."  
  
"Everyone who met me hated me or feared me! When Lina met me, she  
  
automatically assumed I was evil, just because of how I looked! Amelia's first   
  
response was similar but with revulsion added as well! The only people who didn't  
  
care were three people who worked for me, one of whom was a freak as well and  
  
the other two who were old guys who'd worked for my family for ages!" Zelgadis  
  
sobbed, letting it out. "It never mattered if I wanted or loved anyone, because I  
  
was a monster! The only time they'd ever be willing to look at me was to stare at my  
  
freakish face!"  
  
Xelloss wiped away his tears, running the wetness between his fingers, and  
  
then kissing the trails. "I don't think your face is freakish. I think it's beautiful."  
  
"Shut up! Just shut up, shut up!" Zelgadis turned away. "Don't look at me!"  
  
"It's okay, Zel, it's okay..."  
  
"NO IT'S NOT! It's never been okay and it will never be okay! I'm an ugly  
  
freak who everyone hates! Just leave me ALONE!"  
  
"Zel..."  
  
"Don't look at me! Don't touch me, don't look at me!" Zelgadis covered his  
  
face, letting the harsh tears flow.   
  
Xelloss reached out hesitantly, patting his hair. "Zel, listen to me. I'm Mazoku.  
  
Do you know what that means in this situation?"   
  
"That you're enjoying this?" Zelgadis sobbed.  
  
"No! That's not what it means!" Xelloss hoped he was saying the right thing.   
  
He'd never dealt with anything like this before. "It means I've lived a long time and seen  
  
an awful lot of things. A lot of things. And a lot of people. Many of whom aren't even   
  
human-SHAPED. And they're still people. I like beautiful things, and I like you. I   
  
honestly don't know how you can think you're not beautiful."  
  
"I'M JUST A MONSTER!"  
  
"Monstrosity is determined by what you do, what you are. If either of us is a   
  
monster, it is me," Xelloss told him, turning the chimera's face up to his. "I'd understand  
  
if you couldn't be with me because of that. But this," he shook his head. "I just don't   
  
see it. You are so beautiful, heart and body, I've longed for you since we met. Even  
  
when you hated me. I wanted to possess you as one possesses a beautiful thing.  
  
Now all I want is for you to think of me as your equal, forgive me my faults, and let  
  
me rest in your beautiful arms. So your skin is blue. So you have scales here and   
  
there. So what." He forced Zelgadis to meet his eyes. "So what."  
  
Zelgadis sniffled. "But..."  
  
Without releasing his eyes, Xelloss reached to the side and grabbed his staff.  
  
"Touch the gem."  
  
"Wh--"  
  
"Touch it. If you have any trust for me at all, if you want to know exactly how  
  
I feel, touch it."  
  
The chimera couldn't break eye contact. He tried, and couldn't. "I..."  
  
"Touch it."  
  
Reaching out with a trembling hand, he laid his finger on the red gem.  
  
And //So beautiful. Skin like the sky on a sunny day, hair like the few passing  
  
clouds in it, lit up by the sun//  
  
Saw // His/your glare melting me like I was ice, making me taunt to draw it out  
  
again. Just as long as he/you looks at me.//  
  
Himself // The warmth flowing between them/us the first time they/we truly courted, never wanting it to end... I know so much is wrong, but as long as he/you are   
  
here, it will all be alright//  
  
In // The slightly nasal tone of voice humourous at first, but then I want nothing  
  
more than to hear it always//  
  
Xelloss's // I'm sitting on a roof after you/he kissed me for the first time and   
  
trembling for the first time in centuries. I wanted this so badly, why am I scared?  
  
Heart // because I'm a monster and he/you are so beautiful. And I love   
  
him/you. I love him. I love you.//  
  
Trembling, Zelgadis removed his finger and stared at Xelloss. "You..."  
  
"Yeah, me."  
  
"But..."  
  
"But?"  
  
Zelgadis broke into tears again.  
  
Xelloss's eyebrows creased and he pulled the unresisting chimera into his   
  
arms. "I'm sorry. I... I thought I was making things better. I didn't mean to..."  
  
The shaman rested his head on Xelloss's shoulder. "You didn't. You..."  
  
He clutched at Xelloss's shirt. "Thank you... I..." he mumbled something.  
  
The Mazoku stroked his hair. "Hmm? Shh, it's alright now. It's okay. I'm  
  
here."  
  
"But... I have to tell you..."  
  
Pressing his lips to the top of Zelgadis's head, Xelloss pretended that tears  
  
hadn't sprung up in his own eyes. "Whatever it is, it can wait. You've been through  
  
a lot. You're right, it's been a long day. Rest now."  
  
Zelgadis shifted to get comfortable in Xelloss's arms. "...okay."  
  
***  
  
The Beastmaster sighed as she ran with her pack, closing the link between  
  
herself and Xelloss to almost shut. So.  
  
When he fell, he fell hard.  
  
Hopefully, this wouldn't end like the last ones.  
  
***  
  
Guntair sat down beside Amelia. "So, miss..."  
  
"Call me Amelia."  
  
He smiled. "All right. Amelia, what's this Zelgadis fellow like?"  
  
She blinked. "What? Well... he's fairly quiet, and the most powerful  
  
shamanist I know. His grandfather turned him into a chimera, so he looks a little  
  
odd, but he's..." she swallowed back a lump. "He's really a very nice guy. He's been  
  
travelling with us for as long as I remember. Actually, he knew Lina-san and Gourry-  
  
san before I even joined them. I think he helped prevent the rebirth of Shabrinigido."  
  
The Black Dragon's eyebrows rose. "Really. Interesting. What kind of   
  
chimera?"  
  
"Uh... part human, part golem, and part Mazoku."  
  
Hand slipping to his side to touch his sword -- he had to carry it seperately,  
  
it was too large to sheathe -- his eyes hardened. "Really."  
  
The young princess turned to him. "He's really a nice guy. Don't hate him   
  
for that, it's not his fault."  
  
Guntair blinked at her vehemence. "Is he your lover?"  
  
She winced and tears formed in her eyes. One escaped and she wiped it  
  
away, hoping he hadn't noticed. "N--no. I'm sort of like his little sister, in a way."  
  
He looked down at her and she had a suspicion he knew. "You must like  
  
him a lot."  
  
"Y--- yes, I do."  
  
"And the Mazoku... Xelloss or whatever his name is. What about him?  
  
Why would he kidnap this Zelgadis?"  
  
She fixed her eyes on the ground. "I'm not sure. I... I used to think that he   
  
might have... been in love with Zelgadis-san. But the way he treated him..."  
  
"Mazoku don't love," Guntair said harshly, hugging himself. "At most, they  
  
use sex for control. Not out of any love. They are evil, purely evil..." his hair fell  
  
to one side as he pulled his knees to his chest, revealing the scratches and scars  
  
on his neck and back.  
  
Amelia gasped. "Guntair-san! Where did you get these-?" she reached out  
  
to touch one and he flinched.  
  
"Please don't touch me... I don't like being touched," he whispered.  
  
She shook her head. "But... everyone needs to be touched. Otherwise, how  
  
can they be comforted?"  
  
"There is no comfort in touch."  
  
Suddenly, she realized what he must mean. Was it possible? But he had all  
  
the signs Amelia had seen in some of the women back in her father's court... the ones  
  
who never talked. Impulsively, she reached out and gave him a big hug. "Here, I don't  
  
want to hurt you, but I want to hug you to make you feel better, do you understand?"  
  
"I--"  
  
The young shaman pulled back and looked at him seriously. "Do you want  
  
to talk? I swear I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."  
  
He turned his face away. "I-- I'm afraid to talk. She might hear. And then  
  
she'll kill you all for sure!"  
  
It must be possible. After all, you just had to not want it. "Here." Quickly,  
  
she cast a protective circle. "It won't last longer than an hour to someone really   
  
powerful, but I can make it hold that long." She smiled at him. "Trust me."  
  
He choked on his own tears and nodded, beginning to explain.  
  
Amelia's eyes were wide as she listened, feeling another bit of innocence  
  
slip away. But perhaps, she realized, it was for the better. She couldn't protect  
  
anyone if she didn't know what could happen. She waited until he was finished  
  
talking, and paused, gathering her thoughts. "You have gone through horror," she   
  
whispered. "And although we can't undo the past, I can tell you for sure that if the others  
  
know you were so much as hurt, we'll all do everything in our power to protect you.   
  
We would all sooner die than let people get hurt like that... like anything."  
  
"I can't tell them! I can't!"  
  
She put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Lina and Gourry were two  
  
of the three people who prevented the rebirth of Shabrinigido. They did that for the   
  
sake of people they considered friends. You're our friend now. And as long as this  
  
Mazoku lady was weaker than Shabrinigido, they'll do it again. No matter what."  
  
He kept his head low for a long moment, then looked at her. "All right."  
  
Then his eyes widened. "But the eggs! If she finds out she'll kill the hatchlings!"  
  
Amelia sighed. "Well, I don't know all the details of course, but isn't it possible  
  
that she was just lying to get you to go along with her plans? You said that you saw   
  
her give eggs back. And if they'd been fake, wouldn't you have heard of attacking  
  
Black Dragons now?"  
  
Guntair's jaw dropped. "Of course. I... I feel so stupid."  
  
"You're not stupid, just scared," Amelia said, putting her arm around him.  
  
"Which is natural and normal. You're right to be scared, but everything's all right  
  
now. Even if you don't tell the others, I'll do all I can to protect you."  
  
In his mind's eye, he saw what Yume would do to her if she was the only one  
  
between him and her. No, he couldn't do that to this sweet girl. "Call the others."  
  
***  
  
Xelloss stared at the sleeping chimera in his arms. Shabrinigido-sama, he  
  
was... he was... "You are my everything," he whispered. "I wish Xer was alive to   
  
meet you."  
  
Maybe, just maybe, by the time the others came to kill him, he'd have Zelgadis   
  
feeling good about himself again.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, as Gourry cooked breakfast over a small fire, Lina outlined  
  
a map in the dirt. "We can't do anything against Yume yet, not until we've got Zelgadis  
  
back, you understand that, right, Guntair-kun?"  
  
Guntair nodded.  
  
"So our first goal is to make it to Wolf Pack Island, which is the only place I can  
  
think of that Xelloss would have taken him."  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "What's Wolf Pack Island?"  
  
Lina sighed, and it was clear to Guntair that this sort of thing must happen a lot.  
  
"Wolf Pack Island is where Xelloss's Mazoku master, the Beastmaster lives. Because  
  
of this, although the Island itself is publically accessable, most people don't go there.   
  
It'll be difficult to get a boat across. And the Beastmaster will probably have her own  
  
realm within it that we won't be able to get into without permission. Do you understand  
  
now?"  
  
Gourry's forehead creased and he put his hand to his chin. "I would have to  
  
say... no, not at all."  
  
The red-haired sorceress hit him over the head. "Just follow me and try not  
  
to think too hard."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Where IS Wolf Pack Island?" Amelia asked.  
  
"From what I remember, it's actually not too far away. Pretty lucky." Lina smiled  
  
grimly. "It means we won't have to wait as long to kill Xelloss for his betrayal." She   
  
turned to Gourry. "Don't hesitate to use your sword, Gourry. Xelloss has proven himself  
  
to be a threat to us."  
  
The blond swordsman nodded. "After what he did to poor Zelgadis... yeah, I   
  
won't hold back."  
  
Amelia sighed. "Still, it's really weird. Just before, Xelloss was teasing me  
  
and Zelgadis-san like always. He even let me beat up on him. It's really weird to think  
  
he betrayed us like that."  
  
"He's Mazoku," Guntair said grimly. "Of course he would do that. It's what   
  
Mazoku do."  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis woke slowly. Strange, he was sleeping in a soft bed, not on the hard  
  
ground. Had he stayed in an inn this time?  
  
His eyes opened and he stared at the distinct lack of anything around. Empty   
  
space. He was lying in a bed in empty space?  
  
Memories came flooding back, and he flushed. Xelloss loved him. Xelloss truly  
  
loved him.  
  
Where was Xelloss now? He sat up.  
  
There was a door in the nothingness. From it came the smell of bacon and  
  
eggs, and a cheerful humming (8). Wait a minute... bacon and eggs?   
  
He slid out of bed and rubbed his eyes sleepily, walking unsteadily across the  
  
nothing-floor to the door.  
  
Xelloss turned to smile at him. "You're awake!"  
  
The trickster priest was wearing his usual outfit, but had added bunny slippers  
  
and an apron with 'Himitsu' written across the front. Past him was a pan of bacon and  
  
eggs, sitting on a flame which sprang from nothing. "I didn't know what you liked, so  
  
I decided bacon and eggs were a good likelihood. Oh, and do you like the kitchen? It  
  
was sort of a last minute thing since I don't have to eat normal food. As long as you   
  
don't ask what kind of eggs they are or where I got the bacon, things should be okay.  
  
Right?"  
  
Zelgadis blinked, then broke out laughing.  
  
Unsure of whether to be annoyed or amused, emotions flickered rapidly across  
  
Xelloss's face, and eventually laughed. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Y- you! Th -- the apron is bad enough, but the... the slippers!"  
  
Xelloss looked down at them, bemused. "What's wrong with them? I like  
  
bunny slippers." He held out a foot and pretended to make it hop. "And they're made  
  
from real bunnies."  
  
The chimera's laughter slowed to a stop.  
  
Sighing, Xelloss pulled a plate out of a non-existant cupboard. "It was a joke,  
  
Zel, a joke."  
  
"...Oh."  
  
The Mazoku handed him the plate and a knife. "Anyway, eat up! You so thin!"  
  
He put on a strange accent. "You so thin! How you gonna get a lover, you so thin!"  
  
Zelgadis gave him a strange look. "What's the occasion?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You're stranger than normal."  
  
Xelloss's brows creased. "Stranger than normal? Isn't that an oxymoron?"  
  
Chewing, Zelgadis thought about that. "I don't think so. It's just an over-  
  
simplification. If it was an oxymoron, it would contradict itself. In reality, it just is  
  
really obvious."  
  
The priest threw his hands up in dispair. "I didn't want a lesson." He made  
  
a chair for Zelgadis to sit in and levitated up himself. "So, how did you sleep."  
  
"Very well." Zelgadis found himself blushing and looked down. "Th-- thank you."  
  
Feeling Xelloss's hand on his shoulder, he looked up into the eternal smile.   
  
"Don't. Don't thank me for something like that."  
  
"But I --"  
  
"So when do you think that Lina and the others will come?" Xelloss asked   
  
quickly.  
  
"It depends," Zelgadis responded. "They might figure out where we are very  
  
quickly. Um. If they... try to attack you... will your master step in?"  
  
"No," Xelloss smiled. "Finding out whether Lina is the Knight of Shabrinigido  
  
is very important to her. Even if one of her enemies attacked while they were on this  
  
island, she wouldn't show herself."  
  
Zelgadis was silent for a long moment. "I'm sure that they won't try to kill you."  
  
"Sou."   
  
"Xelloss? There's something I want to tell you."  
  
The Mazoku bounded over and swept the plate out of his hand, tossing it  
  
to disappear into the nothingness. "Later, later! Right now I want to show you  
  
around, ne?"  
  
"Alright. Later."  
  
***  
  
Lina knocked on the ferryman's door. He peered out. "What is it?"  
  
"We'd like a boat to take to Wolf Pack Island."  
  
He laughed. "Don't be stupid. I don't rent out my boats to go there, little  
  
boy."  
  
Fire sprung up around her. "What did you call me?! Gourry, let me go! He  
  
called me a --"  
  
"Lina, calm down, it's just an old man!"  
  
Amelia leaned in close to the old ferryman. "You won't rent out boats? Not  
  
even for..." She reached into a pouch and pulled out a solid gold ring. It used to   
  
be her mother's, but sometimes people were more important than things. Mother  
  
would have understood. "...this?"  
  
The ferryman lifted it and examined it. Amelia felt herself shaking, and   
  
Guntair put his hand on her shoulder, comforting her. She smiled reassuringly  
  
at him. When they'd got Zelgadis back, they could help him.  
  
"Well," the ferryman hemmed and hawed. "I suppose I could let one go..."  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis sat on the bed nervously, waiting for Xelloss to return. During the   
  
middle of their tour around the island, the Beastmaster had called him, and Xelloss  
  
had teleported him back here, telling him to wait. He had to have been gone for hours.  
  
He knew perfectly well that Xelloss could very easily die in the next little while.  
  
Just to find out about Lina's powers. Why had he allowed this? Why hadn't he said  
  
no?  
  
Probably because he knew that if he hadn't, Xelloss would have really kidnapped  
  
someone. And he didn't want the trickster priest to have any new regrets.  
  
Still, the thought of losing him hurt. Especially now.  
  
"Hey."   
  
Zelgadis looked up to see Xelloss floating there, smile a bit sad. "Hey yourself."  
  
"Xellas-sama says that Lina-tachi will arrive soon," Xelloss told him. "Probably  
  
tomorrow. I'll have to set you up in the acutal island to look like you've been tied up and  
  
maybe tortured."  
  
"I know."  
  
"As long as you do." Xelloss floated down to sit next to the chimera. "You   
  
mind?"   
  
"No. Not really."  
  
"Good."  
  
They sat in silence for a while. Then Zelgadis raised his head. "Xelloss, I   
  
have to tell you that I --"  
  
Xelloss's lips were on his, silencing him effectively. "Shh,not now. Not  
  
tonight. Tell me tomorrow. After it's all over."  
  
"But..." Zelgadis began and Xelloss kissed him again. His lips wandered   
  
across Zelgadis's cheek to his ear, which he bit lightly, teasing but not demanding.  
  
Possibly the last time they'd see each other.  
  
"Xelloss..." Zelgadis pushed away from him slightly, and that eternal smile  
  
was back across the eyes.  
  
"I understand," Xelloss told him, smiling. "Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"That's not what I meant," Zelgadis whispered. "Open your eyes."  
  
"What?" The smile faltered.  
  
"Open your eyes. I want to see your eyes as... as we make love."  
  
Hesitantly, almost as if he was afraid, Xelloss's revealed his Mazoku eyes.   
  
Zelgadis stared into them, slit-pupiled and unreflective but still beautiful. He smiled   
  
suddenly, brightening his whole face, and pulled Xelloss's head down again, kissing the   
  
Mazoku. "Beautiful," he whispered as he started to undo Xelloss's clothes. "You aren't   
  
the monster you think you are. Not anymore... ah... mmm."  
  
Xelloss rolled so he was on top (9) of the chimera. It was enough. Whatever   
  
else was left unsaid then, it was enough.  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis opened his eyes sleepily to stare at Xelloss. The Mazoku was watching  
  
him. "Hi."  
  
"Did I wake you?"  
  
"Mmm... not really asleep."  
  
"Ah." Xelloss's eyes started to turn up in his smile, but Zelgadis touched his  
  
cheek.  
  
"Don't."  
  
"Alright." Xelloss kept his eyes open, just gazing at the chimera.  
  
"Xelloss?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Zelgadis glanced down uneasily, pulling at a fold in the bedsheets then asked,  
  
"Why are there scars on the backs of your thighs?"  
  
"Sage." Xelloss answered shortly. "Enchanted whip. Library. You remember  
  
me telling you about that?"  
  
"Oh. Yes, I remember."  
  
Xelloss shifted and his gaze slid away. "He decided not to disfigure my face."  
  
"I can understand why." Zelgadis smiled at his Mazoku.  
  
A gentle smile touched Xelloss's face. "Go to sleep, Zel. It's going to be a hard  
  
day tomorrow."  
  
"Mm. I still have to tell you --"  
  
"Tomorrow," Xelloss reminded him. "You agreed to tell me tomorrow."  
  
Zelgadis's eyes closed and he sighed. "Yes. When it's all over."  
  
***  
  
Xelloss gazed at the sleeping chimera and sighed. "When it's all over. If not,  
  
and I die, you'll be past the point of no return."  
  
And I can't do that to you.  
  
***  
  
Morning. Lina shook Amelia awake. "Let's go."  
  
***  
  
"Zel."   
  
Zelgadis awoke to the sound of Xelloss calling his name. "Mmm?" he murmured,  
  
not fully awake yet.  
  
"It's time." The Mazoku's eyes were smiling and not revealing any of his   
  
thoughts. "Xellas-sama told me to get everything ready."  
  
"Everything being me?"  
  
"That's right," Xelloss smiled. "You're everything."  
  
"Does SHE get up this early?"  
  
"She doesn't go to sleep."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So." Xelloss pulled out a length of chain, which Zelgadis eyed with trepidation,  
  
coming fully awake. "Let's go."  
  
***  
  
They pulled the boat up on the shore, making sure it was secure. Lina let out  
  
a sigh. This was it. The point of no return.  
  
In the distance, wolves howled.  
  
"So that's why they call it Wolf Pack Island," Gourry breathed, drawing strange  
  
looks from his companions.  
  
Choosing to ignore that comment, they went up a hill. The whole island was   
  
made of broken hills and bushes. "I can't see anything in this," Lina complained.   
  
"We're just going to have to do this the old-fashioned way."  
  
She took a deep breath and the others prepared themselves for her casting  
  
a spell.  
  
"XELLOSS! COME OUT HERE YOU TRAITOROUS ROTTEN BASTARD!  
  
GIVE ZELGADIS BACK! FIGHT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!"  
  
"I've never heard her do that one before," Gourry whispered.  
  
To everyone's amazement, Xelloss phazed in above them, waving his staff  
  
and smiling adorably. Guntair hissed. "Hello, everyone," Xelloss smiled. "I'm sorry  
  
it took me so long to greet you, but I was... busy. Mazoku business. And as for  
  
giving Zel-kun back, well, I'm afraid he's rather tied up right now. If you come to him,  
  
though, he's at the top of the hill. Meet me there, and I will... fight like I mean it,  
  
as you said." He waved at them and phazed out again.  
  
Peering towards the hill, they could see a broken tree... and perhaps   
  
something hanging from it. "Let's go," Amelia said, finally completely resolved  
  
to killing Xelloss.  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis raised his head as the Mazoku phazed in at his side. "Xelloss?"  
  
"Just a second." Xelloss held out his staff at arm's length and concentrated.  
  
Zelgadis felt something snap... the feeling of 'Xelloss' that had seemed so ever-  
  
present had just disappeared. Xelloss had removed the spell.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?!?"  
  
"Upset? You kept asking me to." Xelloss smiled at him. "I just don't want  
  
to be distracted at a critical moment."  
  
The chimera hung his head again, looking for a moment like the prisoner  
  
he was pretending to be. "Xelloss. Don't do anything stupid."  
  
"Would I do that?"  
  
"You do it all the time."  
  
Xelloss laughed and moved a few steps away. "Here they come."  
  
"XELLOSS!" Lina screamed, then skidded to a halt as they all drew a collective  
  
breath. "L-sama! What did you DO to him?"  
  
Zelgadis knew he looked like a sorry sight. Hanging from the tree with chains,  
  
clothing torn, and with burn marks on his skin-- actually the hurried result of some ash  
  
rubbed on -- he could very easily have been tortured for the last few days. (10)  
  
The Mazoku placed his staff under his head and lifted it. "Him? Oh, he'll be all  
  
right. He was stronger than I thought he would be."  
  
"KISAMA!" Lina screamed as Amelia fought tears. Her aura began to glow red  
  
around her.  
  
Laughing mockingly, Xelloss raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Now, now,  
  
don't be so hasty. We're all old friends, after all."  
  
The aura grew, blossoming around Lina. Her eyes snapped open, glowing a  
  
deeper shade of red than their natural colour. Ruby.  
  
When she spoke again, her voice carried a much heavier inflection than usual.  
  
"Xelloss Metallium. I'm going to kill you."  
  
Xelloss smiled.  
  
Power surged.  
  
"DON'T!" Zelgadis felt the word tear itself from his throat.   
  
The Power hesitated, on the verge of lashing and destroying. Xelloss turned,  
  
surprise written on his face.  
  
"This has gone far enough!" Zelgadis cried out. "I'm sorry for deceiving   
  
everyone, but Xelloss ASKED me to come with him, to find out.."  
  
"Stop!" the Mazoku shouted, flinging a hand out. "If she knows what power  
  
she might have, she'll deny it and supress it, and this will have been for nothing!"  
  
Lina's eyes went back to their normal colour. "What do you mean? What   
  
power? I'm a perfectly ordinary sorceress!"  
  
Amelia began to stalk up the hill. "Zelgadis-san, how can we believe that this  
  
happened with your will? He HURT you!"  
  
"I knew it would happen," the chimera replied. "but he came to me with his story  
  
and asked me. He would have had to do it anyway, he was ordered to so that..."  
  
"Please stop," Xelloss said in a sing-song voice as he began to walk down the hill towards the people who had been his friends. "Xellas-sama is going to be pissed   
  
enough as it is!"  
  
"But... but Xelloss enjoyed hurting you!" Amelia cried. "And it was obvious from  
  
the way he was acting that..."  
  
Zelgadis shook his head. "Haven't any of you realized yet that he's the only one  
  
among us who is always acting?"  
  
A honey-like chuckle filled the clearing and Guntair whimpered suddenly, falling  
  
to his knees. "This is such a pity," a female voice said as a beautiful, dark-haired   
  
woman phazed into the clearing. Her dress whipped around her, removing what little  
  
modesty it pretended to. "I'd been hoping you'd kill each other off, but I see I have to  
  
step in. Who should I kill first? My traitorous pet? The adventurers? The favourite of   
  
my enemy? Or the one whom you all came for?" A dark smile flitted across her face.   
  
"Yes, that would be nicely ironic." She turned towards Zelgadis and raised a hand.  
  
The chimera watched as a blast gathered in front of her hand and sped towards  
  
him, eating up the ground as it went. He realized with a sinking heart that, Mazoku  
  
nature or not, there was no way he could survive that. And the chains wouldn't let  
  
him go anywhere. As he watched his death coming towards him, he was filled with  
  
the sudden amused thought that it was HIM going to die, not Xelloss.  
  
And a figure phazed in in front of him, arms to either side, taking the blast.  
  
***  
  
Xelloss screamed as this new power burnt through his body. There was no  
  
pleasure in this pain. Just agony.   
  
He could hear, as if far away, Zelgadis crying something out, his friends shouting.  
  
It didn't affect him. All he had to do was make it through this, and whatever followed,  
  
and Zelgadis would be safe. That was what mattered.  
  
He couldn't stop screaming.   
  
***  
  
The companions watched in horror as Xelloss appeared in front of the chimera,  
  
protecting him, gut-wrenching scream torn from him. Amelia screamed something,  
  
but she wasn't certain what.   
  
Power ended, and Xelloss stayed in the air a moment longer before hitting the   
  
ground with a wet thump. His hand inched out in a motion as though he would push   
  
himself up but he went no further, laying still.  
  
Zelgadis screamed and wrestled with his chains.  
  
Yume laughed long and hard. "This is a development. So the little priest of  
  
Xellas's and the chimera were telling the truth. And the stupid little priest sacrificed   
  
himself to save a lesser being! Probably, he believed he was in love with the chimera.  
  
This is so amusing!"  
  
"KISAMA!" Zelgadis shouted, and a link snapped in the chain, letting him slide  
  
to the ground. He bent by Xelloss.  
  
Hearing a low growl beside her, Amelia turned to see Guntair pale and furious.  
  
"If only I could become my real form," he murmured, eyes radiating anger. "This stupid  
  
harness... but it doesn't matter! I'll kill her anyway!"  
  
Guntair swung the sword off its resting place against his shoulder and charged  
  
his master. She watched amusedly as he imapaled her, then walked along the blade  
  
to caress his cheek. "My stupid, stupid pet. Betraying me for these children. You shall  
  
be punished very severely indeed."  
  
He whimpered, dropping the blade which slid from her body.  
  
Amelia shook her head. Guntair would get killed! She couldn't let that happen.  
  
A spell? No, this was a powerful Mazoku. What, then?!   
  
Reaching into her pocket, she felt a small round object and her eyes widened.  
  
Perhaps.  
  
If she could break the spell...  
  
Please, gods, let my aim fly true! Removing the Canceller, she aimed and  
  
threw. For a moment, she thought she'd missed.  
  
It struck the harness.  
  
***  
  
Guntair felt his confinement disappear. The straps were still around him, but  
  
they were only leather now. He roared his fury, and *expanded*, becoming what he  
  
truly was.  
  
He delighted in the look of terror beginning on Yume's face.  
  
Payback.  
  
***  
  
It wasn't enough! Lina agonized as the Dragon tore at Yume's body. It   
  
immediately began to reform. She's too powerful! What can I do? I can't risk a Giga  
  
Slave... or even a Dragon Slave, and anything lesser CAN'T work!  
  
They said that I had a power I wasn't aware of.  
  
She closed her eyes and felt within her a familiar presence. It couldn't be! It  
  
couldn't! She'd destroyed him!  
  
But...  
  
But he called to her. *My daughter. Use my power. It will not harm you. Use  
  
what I have given you. Call upon me.*  
  
I can't! She agonized. Not His power! I don't dare!  
  
The Black Dragon fell backwards as Yume reformed and laughed at him.  
  
Oh, hell.  
  
Lina reached for the Power inside her.  
  
***  
  
Guntair turned his head on its long neck as Yume's gaze went terrified again,  
  
looking past him. The sight he saw...  
  
LINA glowing with a Mazoku's power, eyes ruby red, the Ruby-Eyed's power  
  
gathering around her...  
  
And blasting against Yume, missing him entirely.  
  
Still, can't hurt to make sure she's dead, he philosophized, tearing into the  
  
limp body and scattering the pieces.  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis knelt beside his lover. "Xelloss?" he turned the body over, wincing  
  
as the third-degree burns became apparant. "Xelloss, you bastard, don't die on me   
  
now! Not yet!"  
  
Slowly, the Mazoku's eyes opened, as if with a great force of will. "Sor-ry."  
  
"You stupid bastard! What did you do that for?!"  
  
"Just... because." Xelloss sighed and his eyes began to fall shut again.   
  
"NO! I'm NOT going to let you die, you hear me! You're not going to die!"  
  
He felt tears form and fall, one hitting Xelloss's cheek.   
  
Xelloss couldn't open his eyes again. "Wet... you crying?... I told you... not  
  
to cry... didn't I?"  
  
"I don't think so," Zelgadis sobbed. "I seem to be doing this a lot."  
  
"Stupid," Xelloss whispered. "I'm just a... damn Mazoku, remember?"  
  
"I LOVE YOU!"  
  
The trickster priest froze. "Uhn... damn. Didn't want you to... say that until...  
  
it was all over."  
  
"But if you die now... it IS all over!"  
  
"I am... so stupid. I know... it hurts you to say that... but somehow, it... makes  
  
me... happy." Xelloss smiled. "Maybe... I should be glad I heard it, not... worried.   
  
Don't... hurt yourself like... this. You weren't... supposed to say that until... I was...  
  
safe. Otherwise... there was no way... you could go back. It'd be... too late."  
  
Zelgadis shook his head and brushed Xelloss's hair off his face. "Can't you  
  
see? It's already too late. As soon as I wanted to say I love you, it was too late."  
  
"Don't have... much 'xperience with... these things. I..." Xelloss's eyes snapped  
  
open as a red power filled the air around him. "Shabrinigido-sama? Perhaps... I can   
  
still..." his eyes drifted shut again. He sighed and stopped breathing.  
  
Zelgadis's eyes widened and his mouth moved, but no sound came out.  
  
Then, suddenly, the red power around them lifted the priest into the air. His  
  
skin began to mend itself, healing in front of Zelgadis's eyes. Xelloss's chest rose again,  
  
breath returning, and the priest opened his eyes and smiled. "I'll be damned. She used  
  
Him."  
  
And Zelgadis still couldn't find any words.  
  
***  
  
"The Knight of WHAT?!"  
  
"Shabrinigido-sama," Xelloss explained patiently, smiling. He'd left Zelgadis still  
  
sitting in shock back by the tree. "That's what brought me back from the edge and   
  
annihilated Yume-sama. Couldn't you tell?"  
  
"Yes, I could tell I was using the power of the father of Black Magic, but that  
  
doesn't make me the Mazoku Knight!" Lina raged.  
  
"Maybe it's a family occupation?"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Lina screamed, furious, as Guntair, Amelia, and Gourry cowered  
  
back. "Even if I DO have the power, I am NOT becoming the Knight of Shabrinigido!  
  
I don't even LIKE Shabrinigido, he tried to kill me and my friends! I am NOT NOT NOT!"  
  
Xelloss raised his hands, trying to calm the furious sorceress. "In the end, it's   
  
your decision, but you do realize that as a Mazoku, I'm duty-bound to do my best to try  
  
to convince you that it's a good idea."  
  
"GO AHEAD! TRY! IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND!"  
  
"Not now, no, but both Mazoku and sorcerors live a long time. I don't see myself  
  
leaving the party any time soon."  
  
Guntair snorted. "Listen, Mazoku, you've got a lot of nerve to--" he was over-  
  
powered by Lina starting up again.  
  
"OH YEAH?! AND WHAT IF I DECIDE TO BECOME A HOUSEWIFE  
  
AND HAVE LOTS OF KIDS?!"  
  
Xelloss smiled at her. "Wouldn't I make a terrific uncle?"  
  
Lina sputtered.  
  
Suddenly, Zelgadis came up behind Xelloss and whapped him over the head.  
  
"Zel! Not now!"  
  
"You bastard! Don't ever do something like that to me again!" He snorted.  
  
"What the hell was it with that die live thing?"  
  
The trickster's smile brightened. "Lina's the Knight of Shabrinigido and --"  
  
"I AM NOT!"  
  
"-- she sort of overdid it on the power thing and brought me back to life. Lucky,  
  
ne?"  
  
"Don't. Ever. Scare. Me. Like. That. Again."  
  
Xelloss blinked. "Scary."  
  
Suddenly, Zelgadis noticed Guntair. "Uh... who are you?"  
  
"I'm Guntair of the Black Dragons." Guntair scowled at the scaled chimera.  
  
"You are the one who's sort of like Amelia-chan's big brother?"  
  
"Uh..." Zelgadis processed this. "Yeah. That's me."  
  
Guntair growled. "You helped that Mazoku convince Amelia-chan and the others  
  
that you'd been kidnapped and injured. She cried over you! I outghta..."  
  
Zelgadis was getting rapidly overwhelmed again. "I didn't mean..."  
  
"Guntair, don't!" Amelia cried.  
  
"Yeah!" Xelloss glomped Zelgadis and stuck his tongue out at Guntair. "You  
  
leave my sweetie-pie alone, you big bad Dragon!"  
  
Dead silence.  
  
Wind wooshed.  
  
"Your what?" Lina asked dryly.  
  
"My--"  
  
Zelgadis covered Xelloss's mouth with one hand and tried to shake him off  
  
his arm. "Your nothing, you damn Mazoku!"   
  
Xelloss bit him.  
  
Guntair snarled. "Are you trying to make Amelia-chen feel even worse,   
  
Mazoku?!"  
  
As Zelgadis shook his injured hand, Xelloss pouted. "Honeeeey," he whined  
  
teasingly, "that nasty Dragon's being mean! Beat him up for me!"  
  
"EVERYBODY, STOP THIS!" Lina shouted, trying to bring calm back to the  
  
group.  
  
Xelloss released the chimera's arm and bowed. "Whatever you say, mighty  
  
Knight of Shabrinigido!"  
  
The sorceress lost her cool. "Grrrr... FIREBALL!"   
  
Guntair, Zelgadis, and Xelloss were all crispied in the resulting spell. Xelloss  
  
giggled and fell over. "Yes, Lina, that's right. That's the way a good Knight behaves."  
  
As Lina began to chant the words for the Dragon Slave, Zelgadis blew out a puff  
  
of smoke and reflected that, at least, the rest of his life wouldn't be boring.  
  
  
  
END OF THE FRIENDSHIP TRILOGY.  
  
(author swoons and hits her head on hard Stuff)  
  
(maybe one day I'll do a connected series about Xelloss's attempts to convince Lina  
  
to become the Knight or an Amela/Guntair, but don't expect it any time soon.)  
  
1: See 'The Nature of Friendship'.  
  
2: Both Mazoku and Dragons have slit pupils, but they're shaped slightly differently.  
  
3: Yay! Tie-in to episode one!  
  
4: The dagger's Life-Giver. Both he and Jef are from a story set in my other Amberton.  
  
5: Aren't all rocks?  
  
6: "Hello, and welcome to the convention of People with Huge Swords. I'm Cloud Strife,  
  
your host. Take a seat, I believe there's a spare one beside Sanosuke, there.   
  
Sephiroth will be giving a speech on the value of Mako... hey, wait a minute!"  
  
7: The empty pantry, of course.  
  
8: This time, he was humming 'Secret, Dakera no Message'  
  
9: Of course he was on top. Zelgadis is a rock and weighs it.  
  
10: The give away that he hadn't been was that his hair wasn't done up in pink ribbons.  
  
Now THAT'S torture.  
  
Note on names: Yume is pronounced You-may.  
  
Guntair is pronounced like it's spelled. Say it with a Japanese accent.  
  
Xellas looks like a wolf with tentacles coming from her back. Just if you're   
  
wondering.  
  
Xer = Xel's short nickname for the brother I made up for him. ^_^ 


	5. Palace Life

Palace Life - by Harukami   
  
PART 1 OF THE FAMILY SERIES - SET AFTER FRIENDSHIP TRILOGY  
  
Beta read by Ishiki  
  
"Honey piiiiie! That Dragon's threatening me! Get him!"  
  
Grinning like the maniac he was, Xelloss dodged Guntair's angry sword  
  
swings, hiding behind the sweatdropping chimera. "Honey pie, are you  
  
just going to let him get away with this?"  
  
Zelgadis sighed as the Black Dragon's ten-foot blade deflected  
  
off his shoulder. (W1) "Do you mind? It's not my fault he's incredably  
  
annoying." He shrugged at Guntair.  
  
The Mazoku tugged at his ears. (B1) "Honey pie, how can you say  
  
that?"  
  
"Because it's true."  
  
"I know," Xelloss smiled. "But you always try to spoil my   
  
fun."  
  
"Oh, do I?" Zelgadis asked mildly.  
  
Xelloss pinged at a scale with his fingernail. "Perhaps not  
  
always."  
  
Amelia turned away and sighed. So. She'd suspected that   
  
Xelloss was... in love with Zelgadis, and it seemed, from the vein  
  
of his teasing, that that was getting more and more likely. Maybe  
  
they were already lovers. The way Zelgadis was reacting...  
  
"You... you FRUITCAKE!" Amelia looked up to see Xelloss and  
  
Zelgadis get into a fist-fight.   
  
Then again, maybe they weren't.  
  
It wouldn't be so terrible if she just KNEW!  
  
Would it?  
  
Maybe, Amelia gulped, maybe anyone who she fell in love with  
  
wouldn't love her...  
  
No. That was stupid. They said your first love never worked  
  
out.  
  
Her survival instincts kicked in and she ducked as Guntair's  
  
sword whistled through the air where her head had been. Guntair froze  
  
in the process of sitting down next to her. "Sorry!" he said quickly,  
  
shifting his sword to rest on his other shoulder. "I come to see how  
  
you're doing and instead I almost kill you!" (W2)  
  
Amelia laughed shakily. "It's okay. With this group, I'm  
  
used to almost dying. I was just lost in my thoughts."  
  
"Oh." Guntair looked down. "Uh. Yeah. So. Um."  
  
The young shaman waited. "Did you want to say something?"  
  
"Uh... well, I wanted--"  
  
"CUT IT OUT, YOU GUYS!" Lina bellowed. "WE'LL NEVER GET OFF  
  
THE ISLAND AT THIS RATE!"  
  
The two fist-fighters paused. Xelloss struggled out from under  
  
one of Zelgadis's arms to smile at Lina. "Don't worry, I'll put  
  
you up at my place for a night! Will you want separate or shared   
  
sleeping quarters? I'll do my best for the Knight of Shabrinigido."  
  
"I AM NOT THE--" Lina took a deep breath. "Shared quarters  
  
would be fine. I don't want to impose."  
  
"Great," Guntair muttered. "A Mazoku knows where I'm  
  
sleeping. I should be pleased about this?" (B2)  
  
Xelloss laughed at him. "Don't be so uptight. Now can I go  
  
back to getting my hands all over Zel?"  
  
Zelgadis's jaw dropped. "You..." He slammed a fist into   
  
Xelloss's face. "Ecchi!"  
  
"Ow, Zel, not now... no, put down that rock!" Tussling ensued  
  
again. (W3)  
  
Guntair glowered. "So why should I like this Zelgadis? He's   
  
doesn't seem to care about how this sort of thing must hurt you!"   
  
He waved at the tussling pair. Looking at Amelia, he asked, "Are you   
  
alright?"  
  
She blushed. "Yeah. As I said... he's sort of more an older  
  
brother." Liar. (B3) "Though their tussling is more flirtatious than   
  
usual."  
  
"Call mercy, fruitcake!"  
  
"Uh-uh! You'll have to hurt me a lot more before that   
  
happens!"  
  
Amelia turned back to Guntair. "So, what were you saying?"  
  
"Oh," Guntair coughed. "Nothing, really." He stood, and  
  
Amelia ducked another sword swing. "Want to explore the island?"  
  
Wolf howls rose again.  
  
"..."  
  
"Or not. I guess I'll break up the Mazoku and the chimera's  
  
fight." He smiled, showing pointed canines. "Forcibly, I hope."  
  
Amelia sighed.  
  
***  
  
"THIS is our room?" Guntair asked dryly, looking pointedly  
  
at the one and only feature: the jumbo bed.  
  
Xelloss smiled. "No. This is MY room. I'm making yours  
  
right now."  
  
Amelia stared, eyes wide. "But... the bed. It's so... big.  
  
I didn't even think you slept. What do you DO..." she stopped   
  
suddenly, cheeks flaming.  
  
"I make the bedsprings squeak." He put a hand out and   
  
demonstrated. "Keeps me entertained for hours." He turned, blinking  
  
innocently. "Zel, maybe you should see a doctor. That cough sounds  
  
nasty.  
  
"..."  
  
"And you're so flushed!"  
  
Everyone shifted uneasily. "Uh," Lina said. "Our rooms?"  
  
"Get distracted, did I? Well, here you go." Xelloss clapped  
  
cheerfully, and pits opened up under everyone's feet  
  
but Zelgadis and Xelloss's. He smiled.  
  
Zelgadis's eyes narrowed. "What did you do?" he asked   
  
suspiciously.  
  
***  
  
"KYAAAAA!" Lina screamed as she fell, hit a bed, and bounced  
  
five feet in the air again. "Woah! Levitat-ion!" Slowing her   
  
momentum as the spell took effect, she took a look around.  
  
A bed was the central feature of the room, with bright,   
  
garish bedsheets. A clothes hook and a mirror were the only other  
  
features. (B4) Carefully, she attempted to touch down on the nothingness  
  
which everything rested on and felt solid floor, although it appeared  
  
to be nothing but space. Pushing off towards the ceiling, she  
  
attempted to go through the hole, but it, as well, was solid.   
  
"XELLOSS!!!"  
  
The Mazoku's voice echoed in the room. "Ne, Lina-san, isn't  
  
the room pleasant?"  
  
"How do I get OUT of here?" Lina hollered, slamming her fist  
  
against the nothing-ceiling.  
  
"Oh, I'll let you out for breakfast tomorrow," Xelloss's  
  
voice said cheerfully. "But I have to create this, you know, and it  
  
gives me a headache if I make every room connected. I don't need a  
  
headache right now. Do you like the bedsheets?"  
  
Lina peered at them. Focussing, she saw the words, 'Welcome,  
  
Knight of Shabrinigido!' and a picture of HER, giving a victory sign,  
  
with her eyes a ruby red. "Grrr... XELLOSS!!"  
  
"And enjoy the company! Bye bye!" the voice faded away.  
  
"What does that mean?! Come back here, you annoying--"  
  
"Aw, man -- that hurt!" Gourry moaned, sitting up from  
  
where he'd crumpled on the ground. He blinked and looked around,  
  
and his eyes widened in fear. "Huh... Augh! I'm falling! I'm  
  
FALLING! Help meeeee!"  
  
Lina sighed, landed, and walked over to hold out a hand to   
  
Gourry. She was used to his phobia by this time. "Here, get on the  
  
bed. You'll feel better."  
  
Eyes wide, he scrambled over to the bed and dragged himself  
  
onto it. Sitting there, he pulled his knees up to his chest. "I   
  
was falling, Lina, really I was!"  
  
She sighed. "I know, Gourry." Sitting beside him on the bed,  
  
she patted his shoulder, trying to calm him. "I know." (B5)  
  
He put his head on his knees.  
  
"Gourry, WHY are you afraid of heights?"  
  
Gourry shook his head. "Dunno, Lina. My family never said,  
  
I don't think."  
  
"You don't remember?"  
  
"No." He flushed slightly. "I don't remember anything past  
  
the time my parents found me."  
  
Lina's eyes widened. Gourry had been found? Adopted? "Oh.  
  
Sorry for asking."  
  
"Why?" Gourry had nothing but curiousity in his eyes.  
  
"Nothing." She slid off the bed. "You take the bed this time.  
  
I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
The blond swordsman shook his head stubbornly. "No. I won't  
  
let a lady sleep on the floor."  
  
"But you'll just have another panic attack!"  
  
"It doesn't matter. You take the bed."  
  
This was going nowhere. "OK. We both take the bed and   
  
sleep on the edges."  
  
"But..."  
  
"But nothing. You'll be a gentleman, won't you?"  
  
Gourry blushed. "Yeah." (B6)  
  
"OK. I'll get on the other side." Lina walked around to the  
  
other side and sat down. By mutual consensus, neither of them   
  
undressed.  
  
Lina laid down and sighed. So did Gourry. As soon as they  
  
were still, the bed dipped in the middle. Rolling towards each other,  
  
they stopped pressed up very closely. Lina scowled. "This is hard."  
  
"I'm sorry!" Gourry blushed. "I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!"  
  
The sorceress's eyes widened as she took in his meaning.  
  
"Gourry, you pervert!" (B7)  
  
SLAP (W4)  
  
***  
  
Amelia and Guntair looked at each other. They looked at the...  
  
single... bed.  
  
"Uh," Guntair said.  
  
The shaman peered at the bed sheets. "There seems to be   
  
writing here. Uh, let's see... 'Just... get... on... with... it...  
  
you... two...'." As her mind deciphered what her mouth had just read,   
  
her face got the idea to blush. "ANO!"  
  
"THAT STUPID MAZOKU!" Guntair howled. "WHY, I OUGHTA..."(W5)  
  
Amelia wondered why he didn't finish that sentence.  
  
Guntair hunched over, and stripped off his shirt. (B8) "Gun..."  
  
Amelia began, blush deepening.  
  
Then she saw the wings growing from his back as he shifted  
  
to his half-Dragon form.  
  
"I'm coming up there to kill you," Guntair shouted, flying  
  
at top speed towards the space they'd fallen from.  
  
And hit a solid barrier. "I-TAIIII!" He plummeted back  
  
down and changed back. "Damn! Amelia, you're the younger, you  
  
get the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
"I don't really feel right about..."  
  
"You don't want to take away my reputation as a gentleman,  
  
do you?" (B9)  
  
Amelia couldn't stop blushing. "No."  
  
"Then take the bed."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Soon, Amelia felt sleep begin to overtake her. Just before  
  
she dropped off, she heard a harsh whisper. "Amelia-chan... you  
  
awake?"  
  
'No,' she decided, not saying anything aloud.  
  
The Black Dragon dropped back onto the disgusting, Mazoku-  
  
created floor with a sigh. "The damnedest thing," he mumbled, "is  
  
I don't know how he knew that I--"  
  
Amelia fell asleep. (W6)  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis's eyes widened as Xelloss turned back from his  
  
conversation with Lina. "You didn't."  
  
"Didn't I?"  
  
"You did."  
  
"Great second guess."  
  
The chimera flopped down onto the bed with a sigh. "You are  
  
so..."  
  
Xelloss waited for Zelgadis to finish the sentence, and when  
  
he didn't, he started filling in possible words. "Sexy? Daring?  
  
Adorable? Sadistic? Masochistic? Purple? Tall? Irresistible?  
  
Say something!"  
  
"I was going to say, 'dead in the morning', but I guess  
  
that masochistic covers that."  
  
The Mazoku smiled. "Oh, I'll live. You see, Someone promised  
  
to put in an appearance."  
  
"'someone'?"  
  
"Capitalize it."  
  
Zelgadis's eyes widened. "You mean your Someone?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
The chimera sighed. "That should be... interesting." He   
  
paused. "Look, Xelloss, I hope you weren't upset about earlier."  
  
Xelloss tilted his head curiously. "Upset about earlier. What  
  
about earlier is there to be upset about?"  
  
"You know, fighting and all that."  
  
"And I thought you just wanted an excuse to get your hands all  
  
over me." (B10)  
  
Zelgadis blushed. "I just..."  
  
"... don't want the others to know? If it bothers you..."  
  
"It's not so much that. I just don't want everyone to think  
  
that I..." the shaman hesitated. "...There's no way I can end that   
  
that sounds nice, is there?"  
  
"That you fell for a fruitcake? A Mazoku one at that? Who  
  
is male? And generally is bent on the opposite goals of most of the  
  
group? And is suspected still by all of them of probably being an   
  
enemy?"  
  
"Yeah. That I fell for you."  
  
The Mazoku smiled. "Keeping secrets is my specialty. But if  
  
it isn't too difficult for you... why? Why do you care about what  
  
the others think?"  
  
"I -- I don't know. I just..." Zelgadis glanced down. "I  
  
don't want to hurt Amelia more than necessary. And... and I'm   
  
embarrassed. I don't know why! I'm sorry!"  
  
Xelloss shook his head. "They say that that happens for the  
  
first little while, but I don't really remember that far back, myself.  
  
As to the rest... your secret's safe. As safe as it gets. I don't  
  
understand most of your reasons, but I'll honour them. Actually,  
  
there's a lot about you I still don't understand." Xelloss wrapped  
  
his arm around the chimera and buried his face in the scaled neck.   
  
"But I look forward to learning. Never give up a learning experience,  
  
you know." (B11)  
  
***  
  
It was morning by now, surely. It had to be morning.  
  
Guntair raised a hand. It was fuzzy. Maybe he should have  
  
really tried to sleep. But he didn't WANT to sleep in a place created  
  
by a Mazoku! Even if said Mazoku actually HADN'T done anything yet. (B12)  
  
"Papa..." Amelia murmured from the bed, rolling over.  
  
Strange, that. How every single bit of important things  
  
seemed to focus when she moved. "No, no more spinach... 's unjust..."  
  
She continued rolling. Off the bed.  
  
The Black Dragon squeaked and tried to move away, but his   
  
reflexes were fuzzed. She landed on him and sighed contentedly,   
  
curling up on his stomach. "Cookie's ok."  
  
Freezing, Guntair felt his brain explode. He was somewhere  
  
between abject terror(a remainder of his days with Yume) and ecstasy.  
  
Maybe he should wake Amelia up. No, that would require a connection  
  
from his brain to his dead body. Uh. Now what? (W7)  
  
"Mmm..." Amelia sighed, nuzzling into his chest.  
  
He whimpered.  
  
Amelia opened her eyes. "Uh... Guntair? What are you doing  
  
there?" she asked sleepily.  
  
"Fall. Bed. Off of. You."  
  
"Huh?"   
  
"I. Um... " Maybe his face was steaming.  
  
The young shaman came more awake. "What?! You... you  
  
enemy of Justice! How dare you take advantage of a young girl in  
  
this situation?!" She grabbed his shoulders and began shaking him.  
  
Too much, Guntair decided, and fainted for the first time  
  
in years.  
  
Amelia blinked, looking around. Wait. She was on the floor.  
  
Not the bed. In fact, it looked like she'd fallen off the bed, to   
  
where Guntair was laying. Had that been what he was trying to say?  
  
"Wake up! I'm sorry!" she shook him again. He flopped weakly.  
  
"Oh no! I've killed him!"(B13)  
  
Xelloss stuck his head down out of the nothing-ceiling. "Hey,  
  
it's time for break... oh, dear, seems to have been bad timing. But  
  
there's a bed right there, why the floor?" (B14)  
  
The princess turned tear-filled eyes to him. "I think I killed  
  
him," she wailed, not really listening.  
  
"What enthusiasm!" Xelloss murmured, eyes wide with surprise.  
  
In the background, there was the noise of someone choking. "However,  
  
Amelia-san, hitting his head on the floor can't be helping."  
  
Face doing a slow burn, Amelia stopped shaking him. "Guntair-  
  
kun?"  
  
He came awake again. "Uh... Amelia-chan? What're you doing  
  
there?" (B15)  
  
"Didn't I ask that?"  
  
"Uh..."  
  
Xelloss cleared his throat. "If you two will stop with the  
  
foreplay, breakfast is ready."  
  
Blushes burned on both their faces, then Guntair growled,  
  
angry. "What are you implying?!"  
  
"That it's gonna get cold if you dally there all morning,"  
  
Xelloss replied, withdrawing his head.  
  
Guntair's growl deepened, then he sighed, realizing it was  
  
basically useless. He snagged his shirt with one hand while   
  
transforming into his half-ryuu form. "Hop on, Amelia, I'll take  
  
you up."  
  
Unaccountably, Amelia's blush only deepened.  
  
***  
  
Xelloss grinned as he stuck his head down the other hole,  
  
feeling Zelgadis's eyes on his back. "Good morning, Lina-sama! How  
  
did you sle--" (B16)  
  
"FIREBALL!"  
  
Falling back crispied, Xelloss landed at Zelgadis's feet.  
  
"Itai..." he sighed contentedly.  
  
"Told you," Zelgadis smirked.  
  
Voices floated up from the new hole. "But Lina! How do we  
  
get up there?"  
  
"Oh... half a second. Levitat-ion!"  
  
"AAAHHH! I'M FALLING!"  
  
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE CLUTCHING, YOU PERVERT!"  
  
"LIIIINAAAA! I'M FALLING!"  
  
They arrived just as Xelloss staggered to his feet. Amelia  
  
and Guntair were already there. "Well," Xelloss murmured, bouncing  
  
back like a badly-aimed rubber band, "if you'll follow me to the next  
  
room, we'll get breakfast underway."  
  
Guntair ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "What are  
  
we having?"  
  
"Well," Xelloss smiled, "I've already eaten, but..."  
  
"Eaten what?" Guntair asked suspiciously.  
  
"A normal Mazoku breakfast, negative human emotions. But  
  
anyway, I think the Dragon Eggs are almost done." Xelloss phazed out  
  
just in time as a sword cut through the air where he had been. "Why,  
  
Gun-kun, whatever's wrong?"  
  
  
  
Everyone scattered as the Dragon started swinging wildly.  
  
"Bastard Mazoku! How dare you! You only ever..."  
  
Xelloss put his hands up, laughing and sweatdropping. "You  
  
get so worked up over a little joke!"  
  
"Joke?"  
  
"Yes, joke. You know, thing said or done to cause laughter."  
  
"IT WASN'T FUNNY!"  
  
The Mazoku tsked. "If you'd bothered to smell the air, you  
  
would have noticed I put on sausages, not eggs."  
  
Immediately, Lina, Gourry, and Amelia began to drool.   
  
"Sausages?" Amelia asked. "What kind of sausages?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, that's not important. Anyway, let's go." He  
  
led the way to the 'kitchen'. "Knight-sama, what do you want, ten or  
  
fifteen?"  
  
"Twenty!" Lina ignored the 'knight' just this once. (B17)  
  
Xelloss had them all served and actually in a good mood in no  
  
time. "I've never tasted meat this yummy before!" Gourry exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, you know, good hunting on this island," Xelloss smiled  
  
modestly. "Sometimes we even cultivate this kind."  
  
Guntair still hadn't touched his. "What kind?"  
  
Suddenly, a pretty young dark-skinned woman bounded into the  
  
room, her blond hair trailing out behind her. Her long ears twitched  
  
as she sniffed. "Xelloss, you cooked! And I haven't had human meat  
  
for so long!"  
  
Dead silence, except for the sound of Amelia dropping her fork.  
  
The woman looked at them, and sighed. It was then that they  
  
noticed her eyes were even more frightening than Xelloss's. "It was  
  
a joke."  
  
People didn't begin eating.  
  
"By the smell," the woman continued, "I'd say it was Trillin  
  
meat. Trillins are small mammals that live only in this small area.   
  
Quite delicious creatures."  
  
They began eating again.  
  
"You two share the same humour," Guntair noted dryly. "She  
  
your lover, Xelloss-kun?" (B18)  
  
Xelloss fell off his stool. "Uh... no."  
  
The pretty woman produced a plate out of nothing, and began  
  
serving herself sausages, sniffing each before putting them on her  
  
plate. "No. I'm his master." (W8)  
  
Dead silence, except for the sound of Amelia dropping her fork.  
  
Lina pointed and her mouth moved several times before words  
  
came out. "You... YOU'RE the Beastmaster?!"  
  
Guntair growled.  
  
Xellas ignored this, smiling at Lina instead. "Yes. And you   
  
are the Knight of Shabrinigido-sama, I believe.  
  
The sorceress stared at her plate. "There's some mistake. I  
  
am not the Knight of Shabrinigido, and I never will be."  
  
The Beastmaster shook her head. "Oh, you most definitely  
  
are. I'd recognize Shabrinigido's touch anywhere."  
  
"Look, even if I DID have the power to be the Knight of   
  
Shabrinigido -- which I don't --"  
  
"Yes, you do," Xelloss piped up, rising from the floor.  
  
"-- I don't particularly want to be the protector and fighter  
  
for a bunch of heartless killers who live off human fear and hate.  
  
No offense."  
  
"None taken," Xellas responded, half-closing her eyes. "But  
  
you might find the power quite attractive if you think about it. Oh,  
  
and Xelloss?"  
  
"Yes, Xellas-sama?" The others were surprised to see the  
  
near-subservient behaviour the priest was exhibiting.  
  
"You will continue to travel with these wonderful people, will  
  
you not? I believe you have your own reasons for doing so as well."  
  
"Definitely, Xellas-sama!" Xelloss smiled.  
  
"Great," Guntair muttered.  
  
The Beastmaster began eating the sausages, and raised her   
  
eyebrows at Xelloss. She swallowed. "Aren't you going to introduce  
  
me to the others? I already know the nice chimera--"  
  
Zelgadis prudently ducked his head. "My lady." (B19)  
  
"-- see? He's such a sweetheart. But who is everyone else?"  
  
Xelloss smiled at her way of getting to be politely introduced,  
  
considering she knew them all almost as well as he did, through his  
  
reports. "Well, this adorable little shaman is Amelia," he patted  
  
Amelia's head. Guntair growled more loudly than before. (B20) "Amelia Wil  
  
Tessla Seiryuun, champion of justice. Which means that she's nearly  
  
out of a job."  
  
Amelia looked down, stammering. "Uh-- pleased to meet you?"  
  
she ventured, deciding that it might be better than trying to argue  
  
the point. (W9)  
  
"That," Xelloss pointed, "is Gourry Gabriev. He's a swordsman,  
  
and not much more."  
  
Lina scowled. Gourry smiled. "'S right! Nice to meet you!  
  
There's a lot of wolves on this island, isn't there?"  
  
Xellas blinked. "Yes. That's right. Plenty of wolves."  
  
Her servant recovered from his fit of hysterics in record time.  
  
"And the Black Dragon over there is Guntair, no last name given, so  
  
he's probably not important. He did eat Yume-san, though."  
  
The Beastmaster smiled. "Getting rid of her was a pleasant  
  
surprise. Good of him to take her off my pa-- uh, hands." (B21)  
  
Guntair snarled at her. "I didn't do it for you. I hate   
  
Mazoku."  
  
"I know. It's quite delicious." Xellas shook back her long  
  
hair. "I am Xellas Metallium. Of course, it is good to meet you  
  
all personally. I hope to get much closer to you all, over time." Her  
  
smile was almost predatory. "Especially the Knight of Shabrinigido."  
  
"I. Am. Not. The. Mazoku. Knight. CAN YOU ALL GET THAT   
  
THROUGH YOUR HEADS?!"  
  
It was obvious Xelloss had learned his dangerous smile from  
  
his master. "You could always find another piece of Shabrinigido-sama  
  
himself and ask him. I'm sure he would be more than willing to tell  
  
you."  
  
"AND WHY SHOULD I TRUST WHAT HE'D SAY? HE TRIED TO KILL ME!" (B22)  
  
Xellas tilted her head. "Don't most people? From what I   
  
heard, that seems to be the trend. And he was in such a bad mood  
  
from being dismembered and all that. I'm sure you can understand."  
  
"It was his own fault," Lina sulked.  
  
"Probably, he was a little arrogant. But when you're a demon  
  
god, you're allowed to be. From what we understand, though, he's been  
  
rather interested in you since. Especially since he was nearly certain  
  
you were his Knight. And now we all know it."  
  
"I AM NOT! NOT! I should know!"  
  
"And he shouldn't?"  
  
"Well... yeah, but..."  
  
Xelloss prudently changed the subject. His master would   
  
understand. Break her in slowly. "Sooo... where're we heading now,  
  
minna-san?"  
  
Guntair coughed slightly. "I was hoping we could visit my  
  
family, and tell them that I'm okay now... and find out the truth  
  
about the hatchlings... It's--" he paused, looking at the two Mazoku,  
  
"-- down fairly south."  
  
"Oh," Xellas dismissed. "We know where all the Dragon   
  
populations are located. Don't worry about talking about the Koku  
  
no Tani. In fact... Xelloss, a map?"  
  
Xelloss obediently produced one.  
  
The Beastmaster bent over it. "If you take this nearly  
  
direct path, you should pass through all of your hometowns, starting  
  
with Seiryuun of course, then to the nice chimera's hometown, then  
  
Gourry's... and the Knight's... and then to the Koku no Tani." She  
  
smiled. "You all must visit your families. Wouldn't it be awful if  
  
they found out you were in the region and didn't visit?"  
  
Lina moaned. "Great, it's true. Mazoku really DO love   
  
torture."  
  
***  
  
"No. I am not getting in that boat," Zelgadis stated flatly.  
  
"I hate water."  
  
Guntair scoffed at him. "Surely you aren't afraid of getting  
  
a little wet."  
  
"No. I'm afraid of getting very wet. Very permanently wet."  
  
The Ryuzoku laughed disdainfully. "Oh, come on, surely you  
  
can swim."  
  
Zelgadis smiled darkly. "Yes, I can swim. My arms make the  
  
motions just fine. I used to do a wicked dog paddle. However, ever  
  
since an unfortunate encounter with a family member of mine, I have  
  
this bad habit of sinking in water, whether I make the nice swimming  
  
motions or not. I am NOT getting in that tiny rowboat."  
  
A light hand tapped his shoulder. "Ne, Zel, I can carry you."  
  
Blink. "What?"  
  
"I can do--" Xelloss flew down quickly and picked him up.   
  
"--this." He began to float out over the lake.  
  
"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" Zelgadis raged. "PUT ME DOWN NOW!"  
  
"What, now? Here?"  
  
For the first time, Zelgadis noticed they were over the water.  
  
"No! Don't!"  
  
The others all stared at the tiny rowboat. "So, who rows?"  
  
"You do," Lina and Amelia said together. (B23)  
  
Guntair and Gourry sighed. "Why us?"  
  
Lina batted her eyelashes. "You want me to ruin my delicate  
  
hands, Gourry?"  
  
"Ne, Guntair-kun, you surely don't want li'l ol' me to row,  
  
do you?"  
  
The two men looked at each other. "Why do I know that I'm  
  
going to give in?" Guntair sighed.  
  
Gourry shrugged. "Dunno. But it always works like that."  
  
The trip to the mainland was, to put it frankly, embarrassing.  
  
There was the time Gourry thought he saw something in the water and  
  
dropped his oar to look. They couldn't get the oar back, and Guntair  
  
ended up giving his over and rowing with his sword, which didn't fit  
  
too well in the dinky rowboat anyway. And, of course, up ahead   
  
Zelgadis was clinging to Xelloss and trying not to scream as Xelloss  
  
flew in dangerous dips and swirls just to prolong the torture. But,  
  
eventually, they made it anyway.  
  
Quickly, they rushed over to the ferryman's hut. "We brought  
  
your rowboat back," Lina called back.  
  
The man peered out, surprised. "You... you made it! I was  
  
sure you died! Ah, you were rescuing two of your friends, I see.  
  
And you survived the Mazoku. Was it bad?"  
  
"Oh, terrible," Xelloss gushed, putting a hand to his heart.  
  
"She had us chained up and was torturing us terribly! She is a   
  
completely evil character! She even made us ruin our most prized   
  
possessions! Terrible, terrible! Never trust a Mazoku, my good  
  
sir, and especially not that evil, evil being. Oh, my heart!" He  
  
broke into fake tears. (B24)  
  
The ferryman shook his head. "I can tell it was a true trial  
  
for you," he sighed as everyone else lay on the ground,  
  
twitching. "But did you kill that evil creature?"  
  
"Oh, no, escape was the best we could manage," Xelloss mourned.  
  
"These Mazoku are incredibly hard to kill, don't you know? Oh, I  
  
cannot bear to talk about it!"  
  
"Uh--" Lina broke in, coughing hard. "You were holding onto  
  
our horses. Can we have them back now?"  
  
The old man froze. "Uh, well... I sort of assumed you'd die  
  
like all the last ones. So I, um, sold them to the stable hands."  
  
"You." Fire began to glow around Lina. "What?"  
  
"BUTit'snoworry!" The ferryman assured her very quickly. "Just  
  
take my stamp to him and he'll give you only the best and put it on my  
  
tab! Honest!"  
  
"Thank you," Lina said coldly, and they began to leave.  
  
Xelloss patted the man on his shoulder. "Thank you for all  
  
your kind words! And remember, be careful. You never know who you  
  
meet who might be one of those evil beings." He opened his eyes, and  
  
very slowly winked at him.  
  
The old man froze, clutching at his heart and falling over.  
  
"Ma-- ma--- ma-- ma..."  
  
"Zoku," Xelloss finished helpfully, and followed after the  
  
others.   
  
Maybe he'd have a heart attack and die.  
  
That could be nice.  
  
***  
  
"I can't believe that stupid old man sold our horses," Lina  
  
griped when they were on the road. "I hope he has a heart attack  
  
and dies, or something."  
  
Xelloss smiled. "Your wish was my command, Knight-sama."  
  
Lina looked at him suspiciously. "What did you do?"  
  
"Do?" Xelloss looked innocent. "Why do you think I did   
  
anything?"  
  
"Because you're you."  
  
"I didn't DO anything. I just said stuff. And looked at  
  
him a little. And his seizures weren't too bad. He might have lived."  
  
Xelloss smiled brightly.  
  
"I can't believe you! We have to go back and check on him!"  
  
Amelia exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, don't bother. Even if he did die, they'd have found  
  
him already."  
  
***  
  
The trip was uneventful. Well, almost uneventful.  
  
***  
  
Xelloss blinked suddenly, looking towards the horizon. A  
  
smile bloomed on his face.  
  
"What?" asked Zelgadis. He was grumpier than usual. He'd  
  
been riding for an awfully long time, and he was more sore than he  
  
was used to. (B25)  
  
"Nan demo."  
  
"No, I recognize that smile. What?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
"Do I have to blast you?"  
  
"That would be nice." (B26)  
  
Suddenly, a bunch of Lesser Mazoku surrounded them. The   
  
leader, an ugly brute with two horns, laughed. "Well, a bunch of  
  
yummy looking humans. Prepare to--" He paused, and his eyes widened.  
  
"Aw, shit!" He threw himself to the ground, prostrate."Guys, get  
  
down!"  
  
They looked more closely at the group and their faces  
  
showed various states of excitement and terror. They also flung  
  
themselves to the ground.  
  
Xelloss snickered.  
  
"Oh great Knight of Shabrinigido-sama," the leader intoned,  
  
then looked up, stars in his eyes. "Can I have your autograph?!"  
  
Lina twitched. She began to glow red. "I AM NOT THE--"   
  
KABOOM (B27)  
  
***  
  
The *rest* of the trip was uneventful.  
  
***  
  
"Look!" Amelia pointed over the hill. "There's Seiryuun! Oh,  
  
it's so good to be home!"  
  
Guntair smiled at the shaman. Then his eyebrows creased.  
  
"Amelia, can I talk to you for a moment?"  
  
"Uh--" Amelia glanced around at the others. They all were  
  
looking carefully away, whistling. "Okay, I guess. There's  
  
a big tree over there--"  
  
The Ryuzoku grabbed her wrist, and Amelia ducked his sword  
  
as he spun and dragged her behind the tree.  
  
Amelia laughed nervously. "So, Guntair-kun, what is it that  
  
you wanted to talk to me about?"  
  
"I -- uh, well... nothing, really." He blushed.  
  
She sighed. "Do you think I'm stupid?"  
  
"No! Of course not!"  
  
"Then don't tell me 'nothing'. You keep doing that!"  
  
He sighed and stared at the ground, kicking at the stone.  
  
"Amelia... I really admire you."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No, don't thank me. Not yet. I... I know I'm not even your  
  
own race. I know I'm nothing really special. But... somehow you've  
  
become so very important to me... even after what Yume did. You  
  
risked yourself for me. You cared, when nobody else had. You were  
  
sweet and kind and beautiful and..." his eyes teared up. "I know  
  
I'm dirty after Yume. But... but I love you! I'm sorry. After  
  
Zelgadis, it's got to be tough, but... I'm sorry."  
  
Amelia swallowed. What to do? She liked Guntair... a lot...  
  
She WAS attracted to him... but love? She just wasn't sure. It was  
  
too sudden. After Zelgadis... but if she stayed silent, it would be  
  
just like it had been with Zelgadis and her... she should give him  
  
a chance! She didn't want to hurt him... or lose him in her silence...  
  
She blinked. "I... love you too, I think. I'm not certain,  
  
love is a difficult thing. But... I want to share myself with you.  
  
However," she raised a stern finger at his sudden joy, "we can't do  
  
anything but date for a long time."  
  
"That's okay! As long as I can be with you!"  
  
"I AM a princess, after all, and it's going to be difficult  
  
enough to tell this to father without," she blushed, "other things."  
  
"Oh, this is great! I'm so happy that you care! I-- I--" he  
  
stopped. "You're a what?!" (B28)  
  
Amelia sighed. "Didn't you wonder why my family name was  
  
Seiryuun?"  
  
He pointed at her, gulping. "So your father whom I am to meet  
  
is a king?"  
  
"No, just a prince." (B29) Amelia grabbed his hand and dragged him  
  
with her, chatting happily to the Dragon, whose eyes were as large  
  
as saucers. "He's really nice, and he taught me everything I know,  
  
well, that's everything that Lina-san and Zelgadis-san didn't teach  
  
me. I'm sure he'll like you a lot!"  
  
The others watched as Amelia dragged the shell-shocked Guntair  
  
along. "Methinks the boy is whipped," Xelloss stage whispered.  
  
"Oh, and look, Gun-kun! They got the tower rebuilt! Oh, this  
  
is fantastic, it means he won't be mad at me anymore! I didn't mean  
  
to blow it up!"  
  
Guntair's sword slipped from numbed hands. The others dodged.  
  
Xelloss picked it up as though it weighed nothing and slung it over  
  
his shoulder, mocking Guntair.  
  
Amelia glanced back over her shoulder. "Hurry up, everyone!  
  
Xelloss-san, give that back! How did you get that, anyway?"  
  
The Mazoku shrugged. "Here, Gun-kun, catch!" He reversed the  
  
blade and tossed it lightly at Guntair. The hilt smacked into the   
  
Dragon's head, knocking him to the ground, where he lay twitching.  
  
"Gun-kun!" She bent down and checked briefly that he was   
  
alright, then stood in front of Xelloss, planting a hand on her  
  
hip and extending a finger. "Throwing large dangerous objects at  
  
people is unjust and cruel, you know!"  
  
Xelloss smiled. "Is it? I never guessed!"  
  
"You did that on purpose!" Amelia began to glow with the   
  
power of Justice.  
  
"Who, me?" Xelloss looked affronted. "Any GOOD swordsman can  
  
catch their own blade when tossed at them."  
  
In the background, Gourry was digging a trench with light speed  
  
and Zelgadis and Lina had donned hard hats.  
  
"So you're saying that Gun-kun isn't a good swordsman? I really  
  
HATE you!" A pair of jumbo boxing gloves appeared and belted Xelloss  
  
into the stratosphere. (W10)  
  
"That had to have hurt," Gourry commented from the trench.  
  
Guntair moaned. "Did you get the number of that donkey cart?"  
  
The boxing gloves faded out of existence as Amelia's anger turned  
  
to concern. "Gun... are you okay?! I was so scared! My poor Gun-kun!"  
  
From the trench, retching sounds emerged. Xelloss had returned,  
  
now wearing full military regalia and a little x-shaped band-aid on his  
  
forehead.  
  
They blinked at him. He shrugged and was back in his normal outfit  
  
immediately.   
  
"I'm okay," Guntair laughed nervously, hand behind head. "I guess  
  
I was just a little dazed... itai!"  
  
A growling emerged from the trench. Dryly, Zelgadis called out,  
  
"Sorry to interrupt you, but maybe we should get into Seiryuun main   
  
before Lina's stomach deafens us."  
  
"Oh, leave me alone! I haven't eaten for a few hours!"  
  
They climbed out of the trench. "So, Guntair," Xelloss said   
  
cheerfully, "can you walk or do you want me to carry you? It's the  
  
least I can do after being so clumsy with your blade."  
  
"Touch me and die, Mazoku."  
  
"Maa, maa."  
  
***  
  
They attracted a lot of attention on their trip to Seiryuun's  
  
palace. People immediately recognized their beloved princess, and  
  
were shocked to see her in the company of a large, slit-pupiled man  
  
with a ten-foot sword, a floating priest who occasionally terrorized  
  
the crowd, a blue-skinned, scaled creature, and two others who had  
  
been on wanted posters a few years ago and were famous for leaving   
  
towns they passed through as smoking craters.  
  
Tallis smiled. This was too good to miss. Finally, he had  
  
some dirt on the princess...   
  
***  
  
A courtier cleared his throat. "Your Royal Highness?"  
  
Prince Philionel sighed. "What is it, another document  
  
I am to sign?"  
  
The courtier coughed. "No, Your Highness. There are   
  
people here to see you. One of whom you should be most glad to  
  
see."  
  
This piqued the Prince's interest. "Who could that be?"  
  
he said in his usual growly voice. "Well, show them in."  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Hey, leggo!"  
  
"Watch it with that!"  
  
"Do you MIND?"  
  
"No, I don't mind at all."  
  
"Damn Mazoku."  
  
Phil blinked at the voices coming from the hall, then   
  
rose to his feet as a jumble of people tumbled into the room.  
  
A small figure squirmed out from under the pile, and curtseyed.  
  
"Your Royal Highness, I, Amelia Wil Tessla Seiryuun, ask permission  
  
to enter your throne room."  
  
Barely able to make it through the rest of the formalities due to  
  
the huge grin on his face, he answered, "Granted, daughter mine." He  
  
flung his arms open. "Amelia-chan!"  
  
"PAPA!" She ran to him and he picked her up and placed her on  
  
his shoulder. "Papa, I've got so much to tell you!"  
  
"Amelia-chan! You've been gone so long! Surely you didn't think  
  
I was THAT upset about the tower, did you?"  
  
"Papa, I've been on adventures!" Her eyes sparkled. "I've fought  
  
for JUSTICE!"  
  
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" he roared, bouncing her on his shoulder.  
  
"And... and... I have a boyfriend!"  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
Lina patted the wide-eyed Guntair on the shoulder comfortingly.  
  
"It's okay, Guntair-kun. He's really a pacifist at heart."  
  
"But..." he whispered to her. "But, he looks like a..."  
  
"Bandit? That's what I thought too."  
  
"WHICH ONE IS HE?!" Phil roared, mustache bristling. Guntair  
  
swallowed hard and stepped forward.  
  
"Uh... your Highness... I guess that's me."  
  
"Amelia-chan?"  
  
"Yes, papa?"  
  
"Why does he have slit pupils?"  
  
Amelia smiled brightly. "Because he's a Dragon, papa!" She   
  
jumped off her father's shoulder, slipped, and smacked her face on   
  
the floor. Both Phil and Guntair took a step towards her but she  
  
bounced upright again, flashing a victory sign. "Almost made it   
  
that time!" She bounded over and gave Guntair a big hug around the  
  
waist. "I care for him a lot, papa!"  
  
Phil sighed and rubbed his forehead. "But, Amelia-chan, he's a  
  
Dragon."  
  
"Yes, papa."  
  
"Which means he's not human."  
  
"Yes, papa." She frowned, placed a hand on her hip, and stuck the  
  
other finger out at her papa. "It's unjust to be prejudiced against a  
  
person due to their race alone, papa! If you don't like him because of  
  
that, I cannot forgive you!"  
  
The crown prince shook his head. "It's not that, Amelia-chan." He  
  
waved a hand expressively. "You're the Heir, you know, Amelila-chan."  
  
Guntair spun towards Amelia, and the people behind him dodged the  
  
sword swing. "You didn't tell me that," he said, panicked.  
  
"Does it matter? Yes, I know I'm the Heir, but..."  
  
Prince Phil tugged on the ends of his mustache. "And, however much  
  
we may dislike it ourselves, we have to keep our line clean. Which means  
  
completely human. So I'm afraid you'll just have to break up."  
  
"BUT PAPA!" Amelia wailed. "THAT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT JUST! IT..."  
  
Her eyes sparkled darkly as she thought of something. "You know, Dragons  
  
are really big advocates of justice."  
  
"They are?"  
  
The Black Dragon realized he'd been addressed. "Uh, yeah! We fight  
  
for justice all the time! The Ryuzoku are even more justice-driven than  
  
most humans!" He hoped he was saying the right things. "Justice all the  
  
way! Nothing else!"  
  
Xelloss snickered behind them. "Unless they're stronger than you,  
  
at which point you ACK!"  
  
Guntair smiled, having finally found a use for a ten-foot blade that  
  
sticks out behind you. "Oh, yeah. Just ask any Ryuzoku anywhere. The  
  
Black Dragons are even MORE justice-driven than any other!"  
  
"Like the Golds, who ACK!"  
  
"Justice. Definitely."  
  
Amelia turned back to her father, smiling. "You see, papa! Marrying  
  
into the line can only make the royal blood MORE pure!"  
  
Prince Phil blinked. "I never thought of that." He turned to   
  
Guntair. "All right. You have my permission to marry my daughter."  
  
"MARRY?!"  
  
The Prince scowled at Guntair. "Surely you intended to remain  
  
honourable?"  
  
"Of course! But... but... but..."  
  
Behind him, Xelloss started humming an inane tune, an amazing feat,   
  
what with having his lungs skewered by Guntair's sword.  
  
Amelia made a save. "But it's awfully soon, papa! He just   
  
confessed his love to me a little while ago! Mustn't he prove his  
  
worthiness during his courtship?"  
  
Phil laughed his dark laugh. "BWA HA HA!! I thought that was  
  
obvious!"  
  
Guntair sagged, relieved. Then he stood up again. "What are  
  
the courtship rules?"  
  
"Oh, we can't tell you that," Phil admonished. "Part of it is  
  
how well you behave on your own."  
  
The Black Dragon sweatdropped. Why do I think this doesn't mean  
  
sharing your fresh kill? he thought, worried.  
  
He shot a glance back at the others. Lina smiled and shook her head.  
  
Gourry and Zelgadis shrugged, not knowing any more about Seiryuun's customs  
  
than he did. Xelloss was bleeding against the far wall, having been flung  
  
there when the Dragon had turned, since he'd still been impaled on the  
  
blade.  
  
"Amelia-chan?" Phil was saying. "Do we need to get a doctor for  
  
your friend? He looks rather... uh..."  
  
Xelloss held a hand up. "Oh, no, no. 'Tis but a flesh wound." (W11)  
  
"You were run through!"  
  
"A mere scratch!" Xelloss poked at the hole in his abdomen. "No,  
  
what I need is only time to catch my breath." He laughed giddily. "That  
  
was such a rush!"  
  
Zelgadis sighed, almost wistfully.  
  
Phil dropped a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "So, introduce  
  
me to the rest of your friends. I know Lina-san and Gourry-san, but  
  
I've never met the others."  
  
"Well," Amelia bounced over and clapped a hand on Zelgadis's   
  
shoulder, than winced. "This is Zelgadis Greywars. He's been teaching  
  
me a lot in Shamanism! He's been like a big brother to me!"  
  
The chimera sweatdropped.  
  
"He doesn't look human either, Amelia-chan."  
  
"Well, no, but that's not his fault." She perked up. "He's PART  
  
human, though!"  
  
Xelloss had risen, healed already, and wandered back into the main  
  
group. He was examining a candlestick on one wall. "And who's that?"  
  
"His name's Xelloss," Amelia said reluctantly, wanting to draw  
  
attention away from the trickster priest as soon as possible.  
  
Xelloss opened his eyes, smiled, and waved.   
  
Zelgadis slapped his forehead. "He's going to cause trouble,"  
  
he murmured, thinking aloud.  
  
"That's... an interesting staff you have there, Xelloss-san."  
  
The Mazoku smiled. "Isn't it? It was very difficult to get ahold  
  
of." He stroked it lovingly. "You didn't want to leave your last master,  
  
did you, baby?" he crooned to it, then turned back to Phil. "Wanna see  
  
what it can do?"  
  
"Don't even think about it," Zelgadis mumbled, still half to himself.  
  
"The gem must have been expensive," Phil noticed.  
  
Xelloss's smile became darker. "Not for me."  
  
The crown prince coughed, unaccountably nervous. "So, by the  
  
way you healed, you're not human either, right?"  
  
"That's what it seems, ne?"  
  
"So." Phil examined his boots. "You're a Dragon too?"  
  
Xelloss seemed even more amused. "Well..."  
  
Guntair snarled. "Don't even talk about that creature with  
  
such kind comparisons!"  
  
Phil raised an eyebrow at him. "Creature?"  
  
"He's a rotten Mazoku!"  
  
Xelloss pouted. "Ne, Gun-kun, isn't that awfully cruel? You  
  
wound me terribly! I've never rotted!"  
  
"No, I try to wound you." Guntair swung his sword off his   
  
shoulder, then, remembering, added, "For justice. But you just won't   
  
die and leave us in peace!"  
  
"So you want me to leave you in peace and try to make it so by   
  
leaving me in pieces? That's so unjust!" Xelloss smiled brightly.  
  
Phil frowned. "So he's a Mazoku? Isn't that those... demons?   
  
Amelia-chan, what are you doing travelling with a demon?!"  
  
"Well..."  
  
Xelloss batted his eyelashes. "I'm not that bad! Honest!" He  
  
waved a hand with his fingers crossed. "Amelia-chan, tell him that you  
  
stayed in my domain once and no harm came to you!"  
  
"It's true," she verified, not adding that he'd tried to make her  
  
sleep with Guntair.  
  
"And I've fought on your behalf many times. So don't be so   
  
prejudiced against me because of my race," Xelloss smiled, eyes   
  
glittering.  
  
Guntair just growled. "One of these days, Mazoku, you'll slip   
  
up, and then you'll be sorry."  
  
"Oh, I'm never sorry. No regrets, you know how it is."  
  
Phil called a servant hurriedly, before fighting broke loose.   
  
"Uh, Amelia-chan, you help get your friends settled in, and then maybe   
  
you could join me in the meeting in the council chamber? I'm sure   
  
everyone will be pleased to see the Heir back."  
  
***  
  
"The Heir's back, and she's brought her fiance?!" a councilman  
  
shouted. "Impossible!"  
  
"Now, calm down," Prince Phil tried to bring about order.  
  
"And I've heard that the betrothed isn't even human," Tallis   
  
said, throwing another stick on the flames.  
  
"What?! What is he?"  
  
Phil laughed. "It's not what you think..."  
  
Tallis waved a hand. "Some kind of monster. A Dragon, or   
  
something."  
  
"A Dragon seduced our princess?" shocked whispers went around  
  
the room.  
  
"Now, now," Phil soothed, "I don't believe there was any seduction  
  
involved."   
  
A noble woman squealed, "You mean he just..."(B30)  
  
Babble.  
  
Phil slammed a fist on the table. "Nonsense! They both chose  
  
this and are happy!"  
  
Tallis ran a finger around the rim of his wineglass. "You mean,  
  
the princess chose this perverted relationship?"  
  
"Excuse me." Silence fell as Amelia stepped out of the doorway.  
  
She was clad in a long, flowing, pure white gown. Sapphires the  
  
same colour as her eyes sparkled in her ears. Her Shamanistic pentacle  
  
dangled around her neck. However, her eyes were cold. "I do not believe  
  
that there is anything perverted in two intelligent beings falling in  
  
love. Especially when both are young and innocent, and risked their  
  
lives for each other during attempts to wipe out evil as it is encountered.  
  
Whoever can claim such a relationship to be perverted is the sick one...  
  
sick in heart, soul, and mind."  
  
"But, Princess, he's a Dragon!"  
  
"Not even human!"  
  
"The people won't stand to have a non-human at a ruler's side!"  
  
"What would the children look like?!"  
  
Her face contorted briefly with anger before she managed to  
  
clear it again. Reminds me of one of the reasons I left, she thought  
  
dryly. "He gave up his freedom when he was barely out of childhood  
  
to save the other children of his people. He was forced to do the  
  
will of a horrible demon, but bore it by thinking of the children.   
  
Finally, he met me and my friends. He came to me and asked for my help.  
  
Together we fought and destroyed the demon. We were passing through  
  
Seiryuun on the way to inform his people he was safe and that they  
  
didn't need to worry about the children any more. He loves me. I  
  
love him. If the people do not understand at first that human does  
  
not always mean honest and just and non-human does not always mean  
  
evil, they will get to learn it when they get to know him." She smiled  
  
darkly. "And as to children, he is quite handsome, so I don't believe  
  
you must worry about their appearance."  
  
Babble.  
  
"But, Heir, are you two even... compatible?!"  
  
She blushed. "He has a human form." She didn't know if Dragons  
  
and humans could crossbreed... but she wouldn't worry about that yet.  
  
Tallis stood. "I do not think you quite understand. If this  
  
is allowed, than all of Seiryuun's proud traditions will be broken."  
  
"A city cannot stay in stasis!"  
  
"Traditions are traditions. And you are discussing, quite frankly,  
  
cross-species breeding to produce the next Heir." He smiled. "There  
  
will be much debating, I think you must see. And it is possible that  
  
you will be deemed unsuitable as Heir."  
  
Amelia cast a glance at her father. He nodded. "Much as I hate  
  
to admit it, Heir, you might be forced to step down in favour of my  
  
youngest brother... Tallis." (W12)  
  
***  
  
Guntair sighed as the servant left him alone in the large room.  
  
Finally, silence. It seemed like such a long time he'd been in   
  
silence.  
  
He wanted to fly. His wings, though they did not exist in this  
  
form, were giving him phantom aches. He wanted to change into his  
  
true form, or at least his half form, and just fly for hours. He  
  
wanted to feel the wind in his hair or on his scales, to see the  
  
clouds rushing by. (B31)  
  
But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't. Amelia was going to be  
  
in enough trouble as it was, without him rubbing his nature in her   
  
family's faces.   
  
His heart ached. He didn't want to pretend to be someone else  
  
any more. He wanted to be himself. If it was just them, Amelia  
  
wouldn't mind him flying. She might ask to ride on his back. He wanted  
  
to share flight with her.  
  
Guntair blushed. Stupid. He had to be with her as a human, even  
  
though he wasn't one. No mating flight, she was no Ryuzoku. He   
  
could handle that. As long as he just got to be with her.  
  
Surely being human wasn't that bad.  
  
If you were human.  
  
But he wasn't. However human he looked, he wasn't human. He  
  
would never be human. He was a Dragon. A Ryuzoku. A creature of  
  
the air, not the land. A carnivore. A non-human.  
  
Perhaps he should never have confessed to Amelia about how he  
  
felt.  
  
NO! They'd work something out. He loved her! Wasn't that  
  
enough?! Wasn't it enough for everyone?  
  
No. Love wasn't enough. He had to keep pretending to be human.  
  
Not for her; she'd seen him in his true form, had allowed him to take  
  
his true form, and she didn't care. She knew that he was just himself.  
  
But her family... and she was a princess! That was even worse! Why  
  
couldn't she just be a normal person? (B32)  
  
But if she'd grown up in different circumstances, would she be  
  
the same person he fell in love with?  
  
"Yoo-hoo." He glanced over to see that annoying Mazoku stick his  
  
head through the wall. "I was wondering who was in this room!"  
  
"Damn Mazoku," he swore half-heartedly. "If I'd not been someone  
  
in this group, I could have had a heart attack and died.  
  
Xelloss shrugged. "Can I come in?" He stepped through the wall.  
  
"No," Guntair said belatedly. "Go away."  
  
"Grumpy?"  
  
"Go. Away."  
  
The priest laughed, that stupid smile plastered on his face like  
  
always. "I was wondering if you wanted me to bring Amelia a message  
  
or something tonight."  
  
The Dragon snarled. "You stay away from her."  
  
Xelloss tilted his head. "I didn't say I'd go into her room  
  
anyway. But I CAN get in without anyone seeing. And if I'd wanted to  
  
do things to her, I could have done it at any time while we were on the  
  
road."  
  
"Why would you care?" It was said in such a sigh that it was hardly  
  
a question.  
  
If possible, Xelloss's smile brightened. "Oh, you're going to  
  
go through enough suffering that I don't NEED to provoke any more."  
  
"Just go away."  
  
"A message?" Xelloss held out his hand insistently.  
  
"Maybe I don't want to send her one," Guntair said sulkily.  
  
Xelloss broke out in harsh laughter. "Oh, what a brave lover  
  
you are!"  
  
"FINE!" Guntair stomped over to the writing desk provided, and  
  
grabbed two sheets of paper and a quill. He scribbled quickly on one  
  
note, and then a little more slowly on the other. Folding them, he  
  
handed them to the trickster without looking back. "Just put them on  
  
her pillow or something."  
  
The Mazoku's voice was steadily amused. "Do you want me to bring  
  
something of hers back to you... panties or whatever?"   
  
Guntair grabbed the writing chair and flung it at Xelloss. The  
  
priest phazed out then back in, and watched it smash into the wall.  
  
"JUST GET OUT!" Guntair howled.  
  
Xelloss bowed easily, and stepped through the wall into the next  
  
room beyond, where he could hear screams, Lina's voice shouting,  
  
"XELLOSS, YOU PERVERT!" and then lots of explosions.  
  
Sinking back on the bed, Guntair sighed. What was that all about?  
  
The Mazoku had no reason to help him, only to hurt him. Not like he  
  
wasn't hurting enough, pretending to be human right now. Then again,  
  
so was the Mazoku.   
  
*That chimera's face, angry. "Haven't you all realized that he's  
  
the only one of us who is always acting?!"*  
  
No. Not anymore he wasn't.  
  
Did the Mazoku want to go back to just being a normal Mazoku as  
  
much as Guntair did? Did he just want to be himself?  
  
He shook his head and rose. No, he couldn't identify with a   
  
damned Mazoku. It was just a weird, irrelevant coincidence.  
  
Opening the door, he turned to a servant who was passing by. "I'd  
  
like to explore the town. Can you tell me the way out of the palace?"  
  
***  
  
Stopping outside Amelia's room, Xelloss opened the notes, curious  
  
as the proverbial cat. The first one said only, "I know you read this,  
  
Xelloss. Don't even think about the next one."  
  
Xelloss shrugged and opened the next one. "Amelia.. I know that  
  
you've probably got into a lot of trouble because of me, and I'm sorry  
  
about that. But I love you and always will... never forget that. G"  
  
Nose wrinkling, Xelloss contemplated tossing both notes away.  
  
Nothing there of any interest to him. His smile widened. But if   
  
Amelia had been convinced by her family to dump Guntair, this would  
  
break her heart. And if she hadn't, this would make her convictions  
  
stronger and break her family's hearts. Either way, Xelloss only stood  
  
to benefit.  
  
He laid the important letter down and left as unnoticeably as he'd  
  
come.  
  
***  
  
Amelia just stared. "You think I might have to step down as Heir  
  
in favour of Uncle just because I'm in love with a just man?"  
  
The smile on Tallis's face grew. "A just dragon, Amelia."  
  
"And that's not all!" someone threw in. "We heard you were   
  
travelling with a Mazoku."  
  
"We weren't!" Amelia protested. "HE was travelling with US!   
  
And wouldn't go away! Believe me, we tried!"  
  
"And some criminals!"  
  
"They were framed!"  
  
Prince Phil rose. "Anyway, Amelia-chan, I'm sorry, but for  
  
obvious reasons, the first part of this discussion must be held without  
  
you."  
  
Amelia curtsied, seething inside. "Your Highness." Inclining her  
  
head to the other councilmen, she left. She managed to make it to the  
  
end of the hall before breaking into tears.  
  
"Hey, Amelia! Wanna... what's wrong?!"   
  
She looked up as her friends rushed towards her and hurriedly   
  
wiped tears away. "Nothing's wrong! What's up?"  
  
Fortunately, they didn't ask. "I remember a lovely ice cream shop  
  
from when we were here last," Lina told her, "and we were just on our way  
  
out to find it, shop, whatever. Want to join us?"  
  
"Where's Guntair?" Why wasn't he there?  
  
Lina shrugged. "Nobody answered the knock on his door."  
  
"Maybe he's out, too," Gourry pointed out.  
  
Hmm. Shopping when she was depressed seemed to be a habit of  
  
hers now. "All right. Stick around a few minutes while I get changed."  
  
Rushing up to her bedroom, she flung the dress to one side with a   
  
relieved sigh. Her adventuring outfit was good enough! Now, where were  
  
her wrist-pom-poms? Looking for them, she saw a note resting on the pillow.  
  
Reading it, her eyes filled with tears as her heart filled with resolution.  
  
They'd weather this. No matter what, they'd weather this.  
  
Snatching up a money pouch, she ran outside to meet the others.  
  
***  
  
"Oh yes," the store woman gushed, "it's so very you!"  
  
"Is it?" Guntair murmured uncertainly, turning to look at himself  
  
in one of the mirrors. "I don't much like red. Do you have it in   
  
black?" (W13)  
  
The lady shook her head. "Good sir, black is so sullen-looking!  
  
And so hot in this weather. You DO want to impress your girlfriend,  
  
don't you?"  
  
"My girlfriend's family," (B33)he corrected.  
  
The woman shook her head and began digging through racks again.  
  
"Then black is out, and so, unfortunately, is red. Pale colours would  
  
be better. Light blue? No, too shocking with your eyes... brown is  
  
right out... how about... white? White is always a favourite. Don't  
  
go on trips wearing it, though, it gets dirty so easily."  
  
He fingered the shirt the saleswoman was holding out. Maybe...  
  
perhaps... "All right. I'll try it."  
  
***  
  
Lina was in heaven. Gourry had bought her THREE ice-cream cones.  
  
She licked at them happily.   
  
Gourry turned his money pouch inside out and groaned. "I so can't  
  
believe I did that." Resolving to make the best of a bad lot, he   
  
turned to Lina. "Can I have a taste?"  
  
She glared at him. "You bought them for ME, didn't you?"   
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"So I should be the only one having them."  
  
He hung his head. "That's harsh." He glanced over at Xelloss,  
  
also licking happily away, and actually contemplated asking before  
  
his small amount of intelligence cut in.  
  
"Thank you SOOO much for buying me this, honey pie," Xelloss  
  
oozed, smiling with ice cream all over his face.  
  
"Don't call me that," Zelgadis replied automatically, scuffing  
  
at a stone with his boot and hoping nobody noticed the small blush  
  
across the bridge of his nose.  
  
Xelloss pouted. "Hai, hai." The smile grew again and he licked  
  
the ice-cream cone, watching Zelgadis out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"I like sweet things so much." He licked it again, teasingly. "You  
  
might say it's one of my big failings. It's almost indecent!" He closed  
  
his eyes in enjoyment as he took a long slurp of the ice-cream.  
  
"MMMmmm."  
  
Amelia rolled her eyes as she watched Zelgadis go bright red and  
  
begin to smoke. She wasn't upset by stuff like that any more, she was  
  
surprised to notice. They could have each other! Zelgadis deserved  
  
someone nice... well, someone, at any rate.  
  
She blinked down as she felt a tug on her cloak. A little  
  
boy was standing there, finger in his mouth. "Yes?"  
  
He pouted, then waved a wet hand. "Hi, 'nee-san!"  
  
"Hello," she said, amused.  
  
"My friends say you're Princess Amelia." The boy smiled brightly  
  
at Amelia as he pointed back at a bunch of whispering little boys.  
  
She patted the little boy on the head. "That's right."  
  
"They say you're sleeping with a Dragon. Issat true?"  
  
Amelia blinked. "I--- I -- I'm NOT! He's just my boyfriend!"  
  
The boy put his head on one side. "Is something wrong, 'nee-san?"  
  
She knelt beside him. "I'm just a little embarrassed. Everyone's  
  
assuming that the only thing we have is all immoral, and nobody seems  
  
to understand that we love each other!"   
  
He patted her hand comfortingly, then paused. "'Nee-san? What  
  
do those big words mean?"  
  
Sighing, Amelia shook her head. "It isn't important."  
  
Squirming away, the little boy waved. "Well, see you, 'nee-san!  
  
Bye bye!"  
  
Amelia waved back, then turned away just as Lina screamed, "Kid!   
  
Watch out!"  
  
The young princess swung around, eyes wide, in time to see the  
  
cart bearing down on the kid.  
  
***  
  
"Thank you for your time!" the saleswoman called out as Guntair  
  
left the shop, bags in hand, still wearing his old shirt. He waved,  
  
sweatdropping slightly.   
  
That would have been nicer if she hadn't been trying to get her  
  
hands all over me, Guntair decided uncomfortably, still shivering  
  
from the Yume flashbacks, looking both ways to check for  
  
traffic, then freezing as he saw the group of his friends across  
  
there. Damn! I wanted time to myself. Can I face them all? I   
  
could slip away now. They're all watching Amelia talking to that kid   
  
and not paying any attention to me. But still Guntair remained still,  
  
unable to decide. As Amelia said goodbye to the child and turned  
  
back to the group, he realized he had to decide right then. They'd  
  
see him any second. He squared his shoulders and looked both ways  
  
again, preparing to cross the street.  
  
Which was how he saw the speeding cart. Heading right for the  
  
child.  
  
Dropping his bags and cursing, he flung himself onto the road,  
  
wings emerging in his body's automatic response to danger, ripping   
  
free from his old blue shirt.  
  
Touching down in the middle of the road, he caught the boy up,  
  
cradling him tight as he pushed off again. The cart clipped his   
  
leg and he grimaced at the pain, but continued on to the other side of  
  
the road. He handed the child to the first person there -- Amelia --  
  
and only then collapsed, clutching at his leg and swearing. "Damn,  
  
that hurts!"  
  
Amelia handed the child over to one of the others with their   
  
hands free -- Zelgadis -- and rushed to Guntair's side. "Gun-kun!  
  
Are you okay?"  
  
Zelgadis stared at the child. The child stared at Zelgadis,  
  
then, recovering from his shock, started to cry. He hammered his  
  
fists into Zelgadis's chest, wailing for his mother.  
  
Patting Zelgadis's head, Xelloss made funny faces at the child,  
  
trying to stop the crying. "Aw, Zel, isn't he cute? Doesn't it just  
  
make you want to have children?"  
  
"Frankly, no."  
  
"Good, you aren't getting any." (B34)  
  
Meanwhile, the cart had screeched to a halt, and the driver  
  
jumped out. "Gods! Is Joey-chan okay?"  
  
Jiggling him, Zelgadis replied, "I think he's just scared."  
  
The driver immediately turned to Guntair. "Are you okay,  
  
Mr... uh..." he blinked at Guntair's wings, "Mr. Dragon? I was  
  
so worried when I saw little Joey there -- I know his mother, she  
  
works just a few doors down from me -- and I tried to pull back the  
  
horses, but they couldn't stop in time, I was so scared... thank  
  
you so much!" He bowed. "Thank you! The mother will thank you too,  
  
when we get Joey back to her!" He stopped, seeing the way Guntair  
  
was rubbing his leg, and noticing blood seeping through. "Are you  
  
all right?!"  
  
Guntair forced a laugh, wiggling his foot and bending his knee.  
  
"Well, it isn't broken. I'm all right." Using Amelia for support,  
  
he rose, putting his wings away as he shifted to his full hominid  
  
form.   
  
The man looked at Amelia, then his eyes widened. "Heir-sama!  
  
Then you must be --" he glanced back at Guntair. "This is a great  
  
honour!" Flushed excitedly, he took the crying baby from Zelgadis's  
  
arms, and bowed twice. "Thank you so much! It's such an honour  
  
to meet you, Heir! Uh... I'll just take him to his mother! Thank   
  
you!"  
  
Wincing, Guntair tried to smile at Amelia. "Uh... I hate  
  
to cut your outing short, but can we go back to the palace? I don't  
  
think I'm up to much walking."  
  
***  
  
Phil was waiting at the door. "Amelia-chan!" he cried out,  
  
scooping her up in his arms and making Guntair lose his balance  
  
and fall over, "I was so worried you'd run off again!"  
  
Amelia sighed and scrambled out of her father's arms. "No,  
  
I'm not going to do that until this whole mess is solved."  
  
Prince Phil seemed to notice Guntair laying on the ground  
  
groaning for the first time. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
"Uh... he hurt himself saving a kid from getting run over  
  
by a speeding cart."  
  
Guntair tried to get up and fell to the ground again. "I'm  
  
okay!" he gasped. "Don't worry about me!"   
  
"Oh. Okay." Phil turned back to Amelia. "Amelia-chan, you   
  
just admitted to planning to run off again."  
  
She raised her chin. "Yes. I promised to come with Gun-kun  
  
to his homeland so I could meet HIS parents."  
  
Guntair laughed nervously, then groaned. Xelloss bent down.   
  
"Does it hurt that much?"  
  
Damned if he'd admit he was in pain to the Mazoku. "No, not   
  
really."  
  
"Really." Xelloss's eyebrows raised. "So this doesn't hurt." He  
  
poked at the injury. "And this doesn't hurt? Or this? Or this?" (B35)  
  
"WILL YOU STOP THAT?!"  
  
Xelloss pouted, feelings apparently hurt. "What did I do? You  
  
said it didn't hurt."  
  
"Xelloss," Zelgadis warned.  
  
The Mazoku sniffled. "But he said that this--" poke "--didn't  
  
hurt!"  
  
Crossing his arms, Zelgadis pulled out his fierce look. "I mean  
  
it, Xelloss."  
  
"What did I do wrong? If doing this... or this... doesn't hurt,  
  
why do I have to stop?" His smile was purely wicked.  
  
Amelia clapped a hand to her forehead. "Healing spells! I  
  
forgot I could do those!" Swatting Xelloss to one side, she knelt  
  
beside Guntair and chanted quickly, healing his leg.  
  
Wiggling his foot, the Dragon smiled at Amelia. "Thanks...  
  
Amelia-chan."  
  
She blushed. "No problem." Their eyes met and they stared at  
  
each other.  
  
"Uh-oh!" Xelloss exclaimed. "Love beams! I'm gonna get cavities!"  
  
Still gazing into Amelia's eyes, Guntair casually backhanded the  
  
Mazoku.  
  
Prince Phil cleared his throat, and they both turned to him, faces  
  
red. "So. Dinner will be in about an hour."  
  
Amelia nodded. "So... Gun... you wanna go for a walk in the  
  
gardens?"  
  
Guntair blushed brighter. "Uh..." he indicated his torn shirt  
  
and blood-stained pants. "Can I get changed first?"  
  
***  
  
An hour. An hour until he had to go among people. He hated   
  
being among people.  
  
Maybe he could plead a migraine?  
  
Zelgadis sighed and sank back on the bed. It neatly sunk downwards,  
  
nearly burying him as it collapsed inwards under his stony weight. He sighed,  
  
rolled out, and pulled off a pillow. The floor tonight.  
  
A head popped through the closed doorway. "Yoo-hoo!"  
  
Zelgadis groaned and covered his face with the pillow. "Hello,  
  
Xelloss."  
  
"You look really weird with a pillow for a head, did you know that,  
  
Zel?"  
  
A weight settled itself on his chest, and Zelgadis removed the  
  
pillow to see Xelloss sitting there cheerfully. "Go away?" he asked   
  
hopefully.  
  
"Uh-uh." Xelloss smiled at him. "You're being grumpy again.  
  
Why?"  
  
"Short answer or long one?"  
  
"Whichever."  
  
Zelgadis closed his eyes. "Shopping. Crying kid. Bed made for  
  
non-rocks. Dinner with people. No cure. Damn."  
  
"You've got me," Xelloss pointed out.  
  
The chimera looked dubious. "Is that supposed to make me feel  
  
better or am I to add that to my list of grievances?"  
  
"Mou." Xelloss tugged on Zelgadis's ears. "Hidoi."  
  
"Quite. Now can I have some time alone?"  
  
Xelloss bounced up to his feet. "I'm going to make you feel better!  
  
I have just the thing!" He rummaged around in the air and pulled out  
  
a funny looking box. "Kareoke!"  
  
"No." The chimera glared at him. He knew what that was. "No.   
  
Definitely not."  
  
"Onegai?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Just one little song?"  
  
Zelgadis sighed. "Do you understand what 'no' means?"  
  
"No." Xelloss smiled.  
  
Briefly debating smothering himself, Zelgadis sat up and glared  
  
at the Mazoku. "You're impossible."  
  
Xelloss tossed the box away. "No, just very improbable."  
  
"But I really don't want to talk. I want to be alone."  
  
The Mazoku grinned. "Jealous of A-me-li-a?"  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
Glancing away ashamedly, the chimera toyed with a tassel on the  
  
pillow. "Of course not. Just because she has a real home... and a family  
  
who cares about her to no end and believes her troubles... well, most of them...  
  
Money... humanity... a love who she can talk about and publicly admire and  
  
not be worried about being shunned by all her friends..." he ground to a stop.  
  
"Why would I be jealous?"  
  
Eyebrow-twitching, Xelloss pointed out, "I may not be the best person  
  
to talk to about some of that, y'know. But... what do those things mean  
  
anyway? A family... I've never really had a good one. Only Xer, and you  
  
know how that ended. A home? I create my home. Home is where I am, and  
  
my domain, and you saw how much I made of that. Money can be gained easily.  
  
If you want money, I'll kill someone rich and give his money to you, if you  
  
like, but knowing you, you probably don't. Humanity... well, I'm fine  
  
with being who I am, and I think you are great as you are. Have you  
  
considered that you might stop being the person you are today if you lost  
  
two thirds of your being? And..." Xelloss looked down. "I don't really  
  
have a nice solution for the last. You could throw me over..."  
  
"No!"  
  
"... or figure something on your own. But you must realize that   
  
Amelia is putting what her entire life's training has been for on the line  
  
to love Guntair. It's not like it's easy on her either." He shrugged,  
  
falling silent. "That's it."  
  
Zelgadis glared at him. "Stop that. I was busy being sorry for  
  
myself and now I feel guilty doing that."  
  
"Aw, spoil your mope, did I?"  
  
"I wasn't moping!"  
  
"Just like you weren't jealous?"  
  
The shaman looked away. "Yeah."  
  
"So." Xelloss put his arms around the chimera's neck. "Whaddya  
  
wanna do until dinner?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Spoilsport."  
  
***  
  
Amelia's jaw dropped. "Wow, Gun-kun, you look... good."  
  
Guntair tugged uncomfortably at the front of his white, lace-up  
  
shirt. "You don't need to sound so surprised about that."  
  
"I'm not! It's just... wow... I mean..." (B36)  
  
The Ryuzoku blushed and brushed back his hair, which had come  
  
out of his ponytail. "I... thanks."  
  
Amelia surreptitiously wiped away drool. Yes, she decided, definitely  
  
worth throwing heirdom away for.  
  
She suddenly noticed Guntair was talking again. "... gardens?"  
  
"What?" She pulled her mind away from the pretty mental images.  
  
"Oh yeah! Just this way!"  
  
Watching him move out of the corner of her eye, she whammed into  
  
the outer door. "Owie..." she moaned, not getting up.  
  
Guntair came into her line of sight, eyes wide, hair falling like  
  
a waterfall over his shoulders. "Are you all right?"  
  
Mmm. Maybe her klutzyness had a use.  
  
***  
  
Tallis was looking forward to dinner. He just knew that the   
  
stupid Dragon would mess up. It was just a Dragon. How impressive  
  
could it be?  
  
***  
  
"So, Amelia, start at the left and work inward, right?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"The cutlery."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, that's right."  
  
***  
  
The lords and ladies of the courts were Gossiping. Amelia had  
  
arrived already, as was her right as Heir, and the others were being  
  
announced at that very moment.  
  
"Sir Gourry Gabriev, follower and protector of her Royal Heir."  
  
Nobody entered. Then Gourry stumbled out as if pushed, laughed,  
  
and sat down.  
  
"What a country bumkin!" Lord Felingi laughed quietly, and his   
  
neighbors agreed.  
  
"Zelgadis Greywars, renowned Shaman and grandson of Rezo the wise."  
  
A blue skinned... creature, was all the nobles could think of to  
  
describe him... entered. He bowed slightly, and seated himself at the  
  
indicated seat.  
  
"What IS it?" Lady Relenae whispered.  
  
"Lina Inverse, Sorceress supreme and knight of ... WHAT?!"  
  
"I am NOT!" As Lina stalked in, the paper spontaneously combusted  
  
in red fire. The herald sweatdropped and pulled out another paper.  
  
"Xelloss Metallium, priest and general of her lordship the  
  
Beastmaster..." the herald trailed off nervously. Silence fell as   
  
Xelloss floated in.  
  
Eyes open, his smile widened dangerously. "What? Don't be quiet  
  
on account of me." Immediately, talk began again, close to a babble.  
  
"And Guntair of the Black Dragons."  
  
Silence fell again as Guntair stepped in, almost shyly, and this  
  
time, it fell for another reason entirely.  
  
"Oooh..." Relenae murmured, blushing. Her husband, Eiyu, glowered.  
  
Guntair was clad in a cream poet's shirt, unlaced to his waist and  
  
showing a nice amount of bronze chest. His hair cascaded down almost  
  
femininely, his yellow, slit-pupiled eyes wide and slightly frightened.  
  
His pants were an almost blinding white, tight around the hips then widening  
  
slightly at mid-thigh. He gave a low, noble bow, and seated himself  
  
with the perfect amount of delay.  
  
Whispering started up among the ladies.  
  
Servants began bringing trays of food, setting Gourry and Lina to  
  
near-drooling. Guntair smiled at one of the serving women as she passed him,  
  
and she blushed and stumbled slightly.  
  
Amelia simmered.  
  
"So, Lord Guntair..." Relenae murmured. "You are a Lord, aren't you?"  
  
Guntair smiled sweetly at her. "Among my people, we do not have the  
  
same class structure, but you could call me that, I suppose." He picked  
  
up the fork furthest to the left, baby finger curved daintily. "But you  
  
were saying?"  
  
"Yes... Uh... you do not look as I imagined a... Dragon to look."  
  
His eyes turned up at the corners sweetly as he smiled. "And  
  
how is that, my lady? Surely you did not imagine me coming to the table  
  
as a scaled being?"  
  
Relenae gazed at her food. "No... of course not. I merely..."  
  
Jealously, Eiyu leaned over. "She is trying to say that you   
  
look so nearly human. Not quite, but almost."  
  
"Indeed." Guntair smiled at him just as sweetly. "I am not,  
  
of course, attempting to disguise myself. This is one of my natural  
  
forms, as it is with all my people." He took a small bite after he finished,  
  
then dabbed his lips with a napkin.  
  
"Gun-koi," Amelia called down. "Could you pass the salt down,  
  
darling?"  
  
Guntair blushed prettily. "Of course, Amelia-chan." He reached,  
  
careful not to let his sleeve dangle in any food, and handed it to  
  
his neighbor, who passed it along. Noticing Lady Relenae's glass empty,  
  
he remembered the rule Amelia had briefed him on, and filled it carefully  
  
with some wine.  
  
Relenae blinked at it. "Oh, yes." She gulped it back.  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Go easy, my lady."  
  
Across the table, Tallis grew more and more annoyed. His plan  
  
wasn't working! The Dragon had PERFECT manners! And what did he have  
  
to go and look so human for?!  
  
And if only those annoying two would stop arguing over the food...  
  
and he wasn't too pleased to be seated next to the Mazoku...  
  
"That's an interesting wine you're having," The Mazoku commented.  
  
"Which is it?"  
  
Ignoring all protocol, he handed the jug over to the Mazoku, who  
  
tsked slightly. How the hell did he realize that he'd broken the   
  
rules?! He wasn't supposed to realize! The Mazoku poured his own glass  
  
and held it up to the light. He tasted it slightly. "Mmm... very similar  
  
to one back in my homeland."  
  
"Oh?" Common politeness demanded Tallis make small talk with this..  
  
creature.  
  
"We have to improvise, you know. Grapes don't grow... normally  
  
in Mazoku domains."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
The Mazoku smiled at him and Tallis felt shivers run up his  
  
spine. "My master is quite the hunter. She has, however, a nasty tendency  
  
to run the deer and... other creatures... whatever which way, which   
  
includes over the wild grapes. You see, she cares much more for meat  
  
than for any alcohol."  
  
"...Really."  
  
"Oh, yes. Quite a pleasant change, really." He sipped his wine,  
  
then peered at Tallis with those intense Mazoku eyes. "I'm not frightening  
  
you, am I?"  
  
"Of course not." Yes. "I didn't actually think of Mazoku as   
  
drinking wine."  
  
Xelloss laughed. "What did you expect? Blood cocktails?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Much too warm weather for that sort of thing, this time of year."  
  
Tallis wasn't very hungry any more. "I see. So..." he noticed  
  
that the Mazoku wasn't eating. "Aren't you hungry? The beef is   
  
quite tender."  
  
"Actually, I'm having a wonderful meal."  
  
"But you aren't eating."  
  
"Not human food, no."  
  
Tallis laughed nervously. "Surely you aren't going to tell me  
  
that Mazoku eat human souls?"  
  
Xelloss looked surprised. "Of course not. Where's the fun in  
  
that? We far prefer to save souls for later, for more... interesting  
  
pastimes."  
  
The nobleman was seriously wishing he could escape. "So what  
  
do you eat?"  
  
"Sore wa... himitsu desu."  
  
Just at that moment, Gourry lost his hold on the rack of lamb  
  
he and Lina were fighting over, and slammed back against Xelloss, who  
  
spilt his wine. All over Tallis. "I'm terribly sorry," Xelloss smiled,  
  
brushing at Tallis's front with a napkin. "Here, let me..."  
  
"No!" Tallis rose. "I'll just... go get changed!" Relieved,  
  
he escaped into the kitchen, where he got an idea for a solution to a   
  
more... long-term problem.  
  
He pulled a small packet out of a front pocket. He'd been hoping  
  
he'd not have to use that for a long time... but he had no choice.  
  
And assassins do what assassins do.  
  
Hmm... pudding was Amelia's favourite food, wasn't it? So that  
  
private, expensive bowl with the sugar all over it in a victory sign   
  
must be hers. Nobody would notice a little more powder in all of that.  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis sighed, wishing he could ignore Lord Felengi's annoying  
  
questions, but not quite sure of himself among these people to. "No,  
  
I wasn't."  
  
"But if you were not born like that, what is it? A bad magical  
  
experiment?"  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"With such a prestigious humanitarian in the family as Rezo,  
  
surely you could be healed?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Could you not?"  
  
The chimera glared, and sipped his tea. "Rezo did this."  
  
"Surely you jest!" Felengi broke out laughing.  
  
Having seen how Xelloss had dealt with the one beside him,   
  
Zelgadis almost wished the Mazoku was over here. "He went insane, turned  
  
me into a chimera, tried to resurrect the dark lord Shabrinigido,  
  
so we killed him. I thought everyone knew that."  
  
Felengi was stunned into silence. (B37)  
  
Zelgadis was surprised to notice Tallis return, in a clean shirt.  
  
So Xelloss wasn't as good as he'd thought. "Good news," Tallis called  
  
out. "Dessert is on its way."  
  
Almost as soon as the words were spoken, dessert was brought.   
  
Amelia's eyes sparkled at the sight of her pudding. "PAPA!  
  
You had my favourite made!"  
  
Phil cackled. "Just for my kid!"  
  
"Oooh..." she happily dug in, and was finished with a speed that  
  
would make Lina envious. "Ahh... I love pud-ding..." she coughed, suddenly  
  
looking upset. "Maybe... I ate too... fast..." she clutched at her  
  
stomach, other hand covering her mouth as her eyes widened.  
  
Guntair flung his chair back, to hell with protocol, and was by  
  
her side in a minute. "Amelia... are you okay?"  
  
"I don't... feel too good." Amelia's face had already gone  
  
pasty and her breathing was very rapid. "I think--" she passed out.  
  
Guntair caught her before she slid out of her chair. "Amelia!"  
  
Lina cursed and looked around for some kind of enemy, Gourry  
  
drawing his sword at the same time. Zelgadis had taken a few steps  
  
forward, then stopped. He doubted there was anything he could do.  
  
Xelloss had phazed out, and was by their side. He reached out  
  
to touch her and Guntair growled deeply. "I'm trying to help,"  
  
Xelloss said softly. "Take her pulse."  
  
The Dragon placed his fingers against her throat. "It's going  
  
through the roof! And her temperature's sky-high!"  
  
Casually, Xelloss scraped a finger alongside the inside of the  
  
bowl and tasted the food. "Mmm. Plenthigosum. Strong poison used  
  
by many assassin groups in the north. Minor white magic will only make her   
  
heart beat faster and spread the poison through her body."  
  
"Poison! What do I do?!"  
  
Xelloss's eyes were serious. "There's no cure."  
  
"WHAT?!? There's gotta be some way!" the Dragon's eyes were begging   
  
Xelloss that it was just a joke.  
  
"Well... white healing could possibly flush it out."  
  
"Great!" Guntair looked around. "Is anyone here a Healer?"  
  
Silence. Then Lina said, "Gun... none of us are good enough at   
  
White Magic to cure something like this. Amelia herself's the only  
  
one who could do that."  
  
"No! I will not let her die! I WILL NOT, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"  
  
Xelloss cleared his throat. "There are three other choices,   
  
and they have to be made soon."  
  
"What?! Tell me!"  
  
The Mazoku held up three fingers, and curled one under. "One.  
  
You can let her die."  
  
"No! I--"  
  
"Two. I can kill her and raise her as part-Mazoku, under my  
  
master. This shouldn't harm her too badly, but it might ruin her mind,  
  
and of course, Xellas can get rid of any personality traits she feels like."  
  
Guntair's eyes filled with tears. "That's as bad as... what's the  
  
third?"  
  
"Three. I'm a priest. I know Dark Curing. But it means I could  
  
influence her health to the worse any time I chose, make it much easier  
  
to make her a Mazoku if I chose, and could permanently taint her."  
  
The Ryuzoku was crying openly now. "Is there any way else?"  
  
"No." Xelloss tilted his head. "For her to survive... you'll  
  
have to trust me and continue to."  
  
Guntair lowered his head so his eyes were in shadow. "Then... if  
  
it will save her... do it." He wished he didn't feel like he was   
  
condemning her.  
  
"Lay her down."   
  
Swallowing his fears, Guntair laid her out on the ground, then   
  
took a step back. Her breathing was so harsh, it was   
  
coming in audible pants.  
  
Xelloss laid his staff down along her body. It made a sizzling  
  
sound as it touched her, and her body arched slightly, making a whimpering  
  
noise. Guntair took a step forward, but was warned off by a look from  
  
Xelloss. "We only have a little time."  
  
Next, the Mazoku met Prince Phil's eyes. The Prince was crying.  
  
"Save my little girl."  
  
Xelloss smiled.  
  
He raised his hands over Amelia's body, and it floated up,  
  
staff still sticking to it.   
  
And he called upon the power his mistress gave him.  
  
"Master mine, whose darkness holds my soul"  
  
//In her domain, Xellas's eyes glow as she looks up.//  
  
"I call upon thee"  
  
//She smiles, much the same as Xelloss.//  
  
"Grant me thine heart to hold, to bleed"  
  
//a power gathers in her hand, threading it to her servant//  
  
"to pour out, fight off invasion"  
  
//'So, Xelloss. You use a spell I thought you never would, would  
  
never care enough to.'//  
  
"Thine heart, my heart, the heart of the one lying here"  
  
//And she can feel it, that pure heart//  
  
"Burn through to cleanse with thine dark power, the depths"  
  
//'Should I call her to me? Should I wait?'//  
  
"of all you grant me..."  
  
//'Wait. See what he has planned'//  
  
"DARK CONSUMATION!"  
  
//Power.//  
  
Dark power flared in Xelloss's hand, burning through Amelia,   
  
the young girl's back arching and unseeing eyes opening wide as they   
  
change from blue to red to blue and back to red, flashing back and forth  
  
before they finally decide on a deep violet and close again. The dark   
  
lightning still flickering across her body slightly, Xelloss lowered her  
  
to the floor and removed his staff, and only then did he double over,  
  
breathing harshly.   
  
When he raised his head, his smile was back, if weak. "Well.  
  
It DOES work."  
  
Guntair looked up from cradling Amelia's body. "What is  
  
that supposed to mean? Didn't you know it would?!"  
  
"Never healed anyone before." Xelloss shrugged, eyes hooded.  
  
"Just let them die."  
  
The Dragon held back a snarl. "Will she be all right?"  
  
"Amelia's stronger than I believed," the Mazoku smiled. "She  
  
may have a few... difficulties connecting with herself, but she'll  
  
be fine. She has been tainted, but her own purity makes it difficult  
  
for taint to take hold." Suddenly, Xelloss's knees wobbled, and   
  
he grasped his staff tightly, sliding to the floor. "Oh, my."  
  
Zelgadis was behind him, holding him up. "You just did a   
  
major spell. Rest a bit."  
  
"Mmm... In a moment." Leaning back, he raised his staff.  
  
"Who was responsible?"  
  
Tallis had almost been to the door when the dark energy  
  
caught him and bound him tighter than any chains. He swallowed  
  
hard. This wasn't the way it was supposed to have happened!  
  
Phil growled. "You! How dare you do this! I thought you   
  
cared about Amelia-chan!"  
  
The nobleman sweated. "Of course I do! She's my darling  
  
little niece! This Mazoku's obviously just..."  
  
"Li-ar..." Xelloss sang tiredly. "I can feel it from here..."  
  
"Whose word do you trust more?!" Tallis demanded, trying  
  
to keep the fear down. "That... DEMON's or mine? I'm your   
  
BROTHER!"  
  
Phil closed his eyes. "Right now... his."  
  
Tallis struggled against the dark magic bonds, and they  
  
burned into him until he stopped moving. "This is an outrage!  
  
I was supposed to be the Heir, not her! It's not fair! I only--"  
  
He fell silent as his ears picked up a noise, low and   
  
dangerous. Guntair was walking towards him, tugging to loosen  
  
the laces of his shirt, growling. "You almost killed her. She almost  
  
died because of your.... Stupid. Aspirations."  
  
"No! That's not true! I didn't mean to put that much in!"  
  
Xelloss was obviously getting some strength back. "Li-ar.  
  
Li-ar." (B38)  
  
Prince Phil spoke again. "An attempt on a princess's life  
  
is punishable by death. You knew that, Tallis."  
  
"No! I didn't want to hurt her!" The smell of burning   
  
flesh filled the room as Tallis struggled.   
  
Xelloss sat up. "Hurt him," he suggested. "He hurt her, he  
  
hurt what is most important to you... hurt him."  
  
An agreeing growl was his only reply.  
  
"Don't just kill him! Make him suffer."  
  
"Yes." Guntair's shirt hit the floor and his wings extended.  
  
"I want to hurt him!"  
  
Amelia stirred, moaning, then subsided again. Guntair hesitated,  
  
looking back at her.  
  
"She won't be awake for hours," Xelloss whispered. "Make him  
  
pay. Do it."  
  
"Amelia wouldn't want..."  
  
"He tried to kill her. If the spell had taken less time, she  
  
would have died. How would you feel without her?"  
  
The crown prince cleared his throat. "Our customs are for   
  
quiet, easy death with capital punishment..."  
  
"Not ours," Guntair said, turning away from Tallis. "But... I won't.  
  
I don't want to upset Amelia."  
  
Xelloss groaned. "Pathetic. Look what I do and do I get one  
  
tiny reward? No, of course not."  
  
Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "You could try resting to recover  
  
like the rest of us."  
  
"Where's the fun in that?" (B39)  
  
Guntair stopped by Prince Phil. "If I can make a suggestion,  
  
though? How about Plenthigosum? Make the punishment fit the crime."  
  
***  
  
Amelia dreamed. Floating in blackness, she saw two red eyes  
  
watching her. "Hello?"  
  
The voice was surrounding her when it spoke, like she was inside  
  
it. "Are you one of ours?"  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Are you one of ours?"  
  
She creased her brows. "What are yours?"  
  
"Are you one of ours?"  
  
"Maybe! I don't know! What are you?" (B40)  
  
"Are you..."  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
The voice quieted and the eyes blinked out. Now that lady...  
  
the one from Xelloss's place... was there. "Are you one of mine?"  
  
"Yours?"  
  
"Are you one of mine?"  
  
She felt tears fill in her eyes. "I don't understand! Why   
  
do you keep asking that?"  
  
"Will you reject me?" The woman stepped forward, smiling  
  
oddly. Her hand reached out to touch Amelia over her heart. "You  
  
are strong enough to reject me, if you want to pay the price."  
  
"Price? What price?" Amelia was beginning to get afraid. This  
  
wasn't like her normal dreams at all!  
  
"Death, Amelia. You're lingering at the edge. My priest is  
  
trying to heal the poison, but you must choose. Do you want to  
  
live, and have part of me, or to die, and remain pure?"  
  
Amelia looked at herself and realized her body was burning.  
  
"What do you mean by having part of you?"  
  
The Beastmaster held up her hands, blood pooled in them.  
  
"Drink. It WILL give me some power over you, but it will save  
  
your life. The Ryuzoku agreed to let this choice happen in the  
  
first place."  
  
"You... want me to become a Mazoku?" Amelia was shocked.  
  
Xellas laughed. "That is a choice, but it is not always  
  
yours to make. After you do this, I could do that to you, but  
  
I do not intend to... yet. No, this WILL taint you, but it will  
  
also save you. You will still be the same you. But you will also  
  
contain parts of me... and Xelloss."  
  
"Xelloss?"  
  
"His heart and mine went into this spell. That is our price  
  
for the small hold over you. Our blood, here, in my hands. But there  
  
is not much time left, Amelia."  
  
Do I want to live? she asked herself, and thought of Guntair.  
  
YES!  
  
Kneeling, she drank, trying to pretend that it wasn't what she  
  
knew it was. It tasted... odd. Almost spicy, rich. She almost  
  
didn't want to stop.  
  
Then she screamed as she felt something burn into her.  
  
What was it? Those eyes! They were... they were inside her, now,  
  
no longer outside her!  
  
She closed her eyes and tried to breathe. Cool it, Amelia, she  
  
told herself. Xellas-sama told me that it wouldn't make me Mazoku.  
  
I'm okay. It's just burning the poison out.  
  
"Are you one of us?" Those eyes asked.  
  
"You are mine when I choose," Xellas reminded her.  
  
A familiar voice, but almost sad. "Don't lose yourself.  
  
You have a lot. Don't forget that." She opened her eyes and gazed  
  
into the face of Xelloss. His Mazoku (perfectly normal, a part of  
  
her pointed out) eyes gazed mournfully at her, tears of blood staining  
  
his cheeks. "Don't forget what you have. Don't lose yourself." (B41)  
  
"Xelloss?" She reached out to touch the blood on his cheeks,  
  
but he was gone.  
  
She was cold. Perhaps... she put her hand to her heart and  
  
summoned warmth. Maybe it would be enough.  
  
***  
  
Guntair was just pulling the blanket up around her neck when  
  
she opened her eyes. He gasped. "You're awake!"  
  
She raised a hand and rubbed at her eyes. "I had the weirdest  
  
dreams," she complained, and leaned towards the mirror. She blinked.  
  
"Gun-kun, is it just my imagination or are my eyes purple?"  
  
"They're purple," he agreed, grinning stupidly, relieved  
  
that she was alive.  
  
"Why are they purple? My eyes are blue!"  
  
He shrugged. "They were almost red for a time. It's not that  
  
bad. Your eyes are just as pretty when they're purple as when they  
  
were blue." He smiled at her.  
  
She blushed. "I-- am I all right?"  
  
"You're acting normal."  
  
She ran a hand through her hair and stood easily. Guntair was  
  
by her side to support her, but she waved him off. "I feel fine.   
  
Shouldn't I still have some ill effects?"  
  
Guntair couldn't stop smiling at her. "Xelloss says not."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Suddenly, Prince Phil rushed in. "Amelia-chan! Are you okay?!"  
  
"My eyes are purple." (B42)  
  
Phil's eyes widened as he looked at her. "What are you doing   
  
out of bed?!? Get back in there at once!" He picked her up and placed  
  
her firmly back in.   
  
She immediately tried to get out of bed again. "But, Papa...  
  
I'm fine!"  
  
"You almost died!" her father scolded.  
  
She sweatdropped. "Yeah... but I'm okay now!" She held up   
  
fingers in a victory sign. "Justice overcomes, ne, Papa?"  
  
"And don't let me catch you out of bed again!" he shook his  
  
head. "Children these days think they're immortal." (B43) He turned at  
  
the door and shook a finger at her. "I don't want to see you out  
  
of bed for at least a WEEK. Do you hear me?"  
  
"But Papa..."  
  
"Don't even THINK about it." He turned and left, muttering to  
  
himself.   
  
Amelia fell back against the pillows, groaning. "This is  
  
awful! I feel great and he's confining me to bed! I wanna be on the  
  
road again... I wanna fight for JUSTICE! I don't wanna be stuck here!"  
  
"It is a problem," a familiar voice said from the doorway. They  
  
turned, startled, to see Xelloss leaning against the doorframe. He  
  
wiggled his fingers at them. "You're feeling better."  
  
She nodded. "Yeah. And... you helped me in that place, didn't  
  
you?"  
  
"I helped you OUT of that place, if that's what you mean," Xelloss  
  
laughed. "And that was something I NEVER expected to do!"  
  
Toying with the bedsheets, she thought back to her memories.   
  
"Thank you. You cast the spell, didn't you? The nice master lady  
  
said so. But... when I saw you there, right after I drank the blood,  
  
you were crying. You were crying tears of blood. Why were you crying?"  
  
The Dragon and the Mazoku stared at her. "Drink what? How?" Guntair  
  
asked.  
  
Xelloss shook his head. "I don't know what you mean. I cast  
  
the spell, and I made an itsy bitsy sacrifice, but that's all. And  
  
I never cry."  
  
"Oh." She examined her hands carefully. "I remember... But  
  
that must have been a dream." Thinking about it, she could still   
  
feel the red eyes. "A dream."  
  
Guntair sat beside her on the bed. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Just a bit confused," she shrugged.  
  
The Mazoku slapped his forehead. "So that's what Xellas-sama  
  
meant!" He smiled brightly at Amelia. "She told me that when I cast  
  
the spell, whoever did it might have trouble remembering 'which them  
  
is the real one'. That must be it."  
  
"Whatever that means," Guntair snorted. "Do Mazoku always  
  
make things this complicated?"  
  
"Sore wa Himitsu desu," Xelloss smiled. He ignored the   
  
sweatdropping Ryuzoku and turned his attention back to Amelia. "I  
  
was talking to the others, and we all want to be off as soon as possible.  
  
Wanna sneak out?"  
  
Amelia's jaw dropped. "You mean, ignore my father's explicit  
  
hopes?"  
  
"He could have a heart attack and die!" Guntair added, shocked.  
  
Xelloss shrugged. "Leave a note! Besides, Gun-kun, don't you   
  
want to get to your tribe soon?"  
  
"Of course, but Amelia..."  
  
"Is fine!"  
  
They both looked at the young shaman, who was deep in thought.  
  
"Well," she said suddenly, "if I don't leave soon, I'll never get  
  
away! Tonight soon enough for you?"  
  
Xelloss's smile brightened. "Perfect. Just perfect. I'll  
  
tell the others." He popped out of existence.  
  
Guntair turned to Amelia. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
"Gun... do YOU want to hang around my relatives any more?"  
  
"....No," he admitted, "but I'll deal with them if you--"  
  
"Don't particularly wanna stick around either." She held  
  
out a victory sign. "We gotta spread justice, right?!"  
  
Inside her, red eyes laughed.  
  
Guntair's laughter was much different. "Right!"  
  
"Yosh! Tonight!"  
  
***  
  
Homen's eyes widened as he gazed at the pendant. "Wow..."  
  
A good thief could recognize a real ruby when he saw one.  
  
And this ruby teardrop was too good to believe. He held it up   
  
to the light. "This is great," he murmured to himself, careful  
  
not to be too loud, in case he woke the priests. "Imagine, a  
  
treasure like this in a shrine to Cepheed." (B44)  
  
He quietly snuck out, then raised it to get a better look.  
  
It sparkled in his grasp. "It's--" Glancing closer, he could see a  
  
tiny sparkle in the centre. "A fault? Well, it's barely visible.  
  
It'll still bring a great price." Somehow, he didn't want to sell  
  
it. "I'll just hold on to it until then."  
  
Sliding it around his neck, he carefully placed it next to  
  
his skin and covered it with his vest.  
  
In the darkness, the tiny light blinked.  
  
  
  
END OF PALACE LIFE - PART ONE OF 'FAMILY'  
  
Writer's notes (Wx)  
  
W1: And, yes, it hurt. But Zelgadis is used to taking pain and not  
  
flinching. Unless he has a direct connection to a masochist...  
  
like in the Friendship Trilogy.  
  
W2: The dangers of a ten-foot blade. *sigh*  
  
W3: An inanimate one.  
  
W4: I'm evil, aren't I? ^_^  
  
W5: Bow down and kiss his feet in happiness?  
  
W6: Yes... I am. Definitely evil.  
  
W7: Dead brain? They say you write what you know well the best.  
  
W8: I don't know if any of the slayers charas have met Xellas-sama,   
  
so I just assumed that they haven't.  
  
W9: Oh dear. Does that make her OOC?  
  
W10: Does anyone know what this attack's called?  
  
W11: Oh no. I made Xel quote Monty Python. *groan*  
  
W12: Yes, I know he only has 2 brothers. So he now has three. *shrug* So  
  
what?  
  
W13: No, red doesn't hold the best memories.  
  
Beta Reader's notes (Bx)  
  
B1: Poor Zel-kun. Aren't his ears long enough already?  
  
B2: Yup. 'specially since he's deciding the sleeping arrangements...  
  
B3: "Liar, liar, pants on -" "Fireball!"  
  
B4: And when you say 'only other features', you really mean 'only other  
  
features'. No walls, ceiling, floor...  
  
B5: Poor Gourry.  
  
B6: Or else she'll throw a fireball at you, which would fry the bed,   
  
which means you'd probably try to sleep on the mirror...  
  
B7: But Lina, that's a complement, really... You did hate it when he   
  
thought of you as a little girl. This means that he doesn't anymore.   
  
I hope.  
  
B8: Wow, you mean his clothing actually survived his transformation to   
  
full-ryuu? Impressive. (W: Ah, you see, this is Slayers. Half nudity   
  
for half form, full censorship for full form)  
  
B9:He has a reputation? (W: In his own, mind.)  
  
B10: Well, that too...  
  
B11:Especially one like the one they're probably about to embark on...?   
  
*sound of rushing water is heard as the poor beta-reader continues on   
  
that train of thought...*  
  
B12: Nope... I'm guessing that he was rather... preoccupied.  
  
B13: But Amelia-san, I thought you knocked him out before you got to   
  
that point...  
  
B14:Because they wanted to *the sound of rushing water fills the air,   
  
thankfully drowning out the beta-reader's next comment*  
  
B15:Yes Amelia, what are you doing straddling his torso with your hands  
  
fisted in his shirt?  
  
B16:Is anyone wondering where Zel slept? Or his 'wanting to keep it a   
  
secret' completely futile, as anyone with half a mind (even Gourry)   
  
must have realized it already?  
  
B17: She would, for food.  
  
B18: *sweatdrop*  
  
B19:*His* lady? Like she's Xelloss's lady? Hmmm, no wonder she was so   
  
pleased with him.   
  
B20: Possessive, ain't he?  
  
B21:Yes, Xellas-sama. Hands, not paws. Hands.  
  
B22:Well, you tried to kill him. Fair's fair.  
  
B23: Why am I getting flashes of Otome no Inori?  
  
B24: He is *so* twisted.  
  
B25: From the saddle? Or from - *rushing water drowns her out*  
  
B26:But would not lead to any situation that would make his bottom feel   
  
better.  
  
B27: Wow, so now things explode without her even having to chant a   
  
spell? Scary.  
  
B28: Surprise!  
  
B29: Just the CROWN prince... nothing special...  
  
B30: Lay there while she fell on him :P.  
  
B31: All of which are things the poor guy hasn't been able to do since   
  
he was a kid... *sigh* Poor Gun-kun.  
  
B32: Because the dragon always goes for the pure, innocent princess,   
  
Gun-kun. Don't you know that?  
  
B33: The girlfriend was impressed enough when he was without the shirt...  
  
B34: Kids from those two? Scary...  
  
B35: Xelloss as Asusa? Pink dress and all?  
  
(W-Xelloss LOVES his little  
  
Zelly!)  
  
B36: And we watch as Amelia's hormones go into overdrive...  
  
B37: "And then his assistant went insane and created a Rezo copy.  
  
It decided it wanted to be as good as the original, so it called  
  
up Zanafar, and we had to kill it too..."  
  
B38: Of couse. Tallis seems to make a very *good* snack.  
  
B39: Oh, it depends on how you define 'rest'... soft, cozy  
  
bed, warm bo-*sound of rushing water*  
  
B40: Think, Amelia. Ruby eyes. Sound familiar?  
  
B41: Or Guntair will hunt me from one end of the globe to the other...  
  
B42: Yep, she's back to normal. She barely escapes death, and yet  
  
she's worried about her eyes.  
  
B43: Well, if you managed to survive HALF of the stuff Amelia has,   
  
you'd think you were immortal, too.  
  
B44: Idiot. A ruby. In a shrine to CEIPHEED. Didn't you  
  
hear any stories about the end of the world when you were a kid?  
  
(W - well, Gourry hadn't... or maybe he just forgot them...)  
  
Ooh... lots of notes... ^_^;;  
  
Notes on series: OK, because I hate when you don't know what order  
  
big series go in (and this is gonna get bigger!)  
  
Powers of Heart and Soul timeline  
  
-Friendship Trilogy  
  
-Nature of Friendship  
  
-Beyond Friendship  
  
-Strains on Friendship  
  
-Family series  
  
-Palace Life  
  
-? 


	6. Gathering No Moss

GATHERING NO MOSS - by Harukami   
  
Part two of 'Family' - sequel to 'Friendship'  
  
(Betaed by Ishiki)  
  
In which many strange dreams occur, we discover that Zelgadis's   
  
family is ALL as weird as the ones met so far, a brief appearance is  
  
put in by another's family member, and Xelloss keeps more secrets.  
  
Zelgadis tossed uncomfortably in his sleep.  
  
//"Okay, Xel, you can look now."  
  
The speaker was a young Mazoku, seeming to be about eleven years old.  
  
He had long, deep purple hair to mid-back, and his eyes were a deep  
  
violet. He smiled at the younger Mazoku beside him, and pointed to what  
  
was on the ground before him.  
  
A small animal, resembling a squirrel, was tied out spread-eagled,  
  
cut open from stomach to chest. It was whimpering squeakily, but   
  
unable to move.  
  
The young Mazoku removed his hands from his eyes, and however  
  
young he was, only seeming six years old, the eyes were immediately  
  
recognizable as Xelloss's. "Xer-chan! Isstill 'live!"  
  
Xerinier smiled at his little brother. "Yep. I wanted you to  
  
have the experience of holding life in your hands."  
  
Chibi-Xelloss croutched in the bloodied ground. "How?"  
  
"You have to work fast," Xer warned him, "it's already dying.  
  
But here." Tossing his stick away, he took ahold of one of Xelloss's  
  
hands and pushed it into the slit in the body. "This is the heart.  
  
Do you feel it?"  
  
The young Mazoku's eyes widened in delight. "It's beating! It  
  
won't stop moving! It--" The squirrel's body jerked, and Xelloss's   
  
eyes filled with blood-red tears. "It burst!!"  
  
Xerenier shook his head. "Xel, other creatures don't heal  
  
like we do. The slightest pressure can kill them. Don't feel bad,  
  
it happened a lot to me at first as well. Just practice, and soon  
  
you won't kill other non-Mazoku without trying to. Hold their lives  
  
in your hands and know you can kill them at any time you want, but  
  
wait. It's more fun that way." (B1)  
  
Raising bloodied fingers absently to his lips, Chibi-Xelloss  
  
nodded carefully.  
  
"What're you two brats doin' out here?!"   
  
The two children turned, and Xelloss whimpered as a claw swipe  
  
bashed him into a far tree. "Papa..."  
  
"We were just playing," Xer protested.  
  
"Get back into the house," the monster roared. "I'll deal   
  
with this lazy namagomi!"  
  
Xelloss looked up at his father and screamed.//  
  
Zelgadis jerked awake with a start, finding himself staring at  
  
the star-littered night sky. "That... was odd," he murmured.  
  
Beside him, Xelloss rolled over, awake as always. "You were   
  
thrashing and scared. Nightmare?"  
  
"Yeah," Zelgadis said uncertainly. "That's right."  
  
***  
  
Xelloss watched the chimera -- his chimera -- as he fell   
  
back asleep. Zelgadis had been having nightmares nearly every   
  
evening now.  
  
What did it mean? What was bothering Zelgadis?  
  
The Mazoku knew -- in theory, not in practice -- that most dreams  
  
were the subconcious way of dumping things that happened. But he  
  
had a feeling these were different. He almost wanted to invade  
  
Zelgadis's mind to see.  
  
But would he like what he saw there?  
  
"No!"  
  
Xelloss rolled over to see Amelia toss under her blanket, then  
  
subside again. Maybe the nightmares were catching. (B2)  
  
Hmm.  
  
***  
  
//"Are you one of one of ours?" (w1)  
  
"NO! No, I'm not!"  
  
The red eyes watched her. "Do you want to be one of ours?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"You are one of hers. It's just one more step."  
  
"NO!" Amelia covered her ears. "I'm not listening!"  
  
Those eyes were laughing at her. "Listen, Amelia. You   
  
can be so much more than you are now... don't you want the power?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"You could change the world, Amelia." Red eyes, promising so  
  
much. "You'd be powerful enough to strike fear into the greatest  
  
of ill-wishers. Justice, Amelia. Don't you want it?" (B3)  
  
"I--" Amelia's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't help  
  
it; she was listening.  
  
"Let me show you what you could do, Amelia."//  
  
***  
  
In her dream, Lina was wielding a huge power. //Red burned through  
  
her, burned out her, burned in her. "My Father, my Son, my Lover, grant  
  
me the power to change. This energy you gave me, let it speed to do  
  
your bidding. Take my soul, burn me to a new world. WORLD BURN!"  
  
The red power washed over the world, changing it to the way  
  
she wanted it to be, making everything go her way.  
  
Watching the flames dance, she suddenly felt arms wrap around   
  
her from behind. Strong arms, swordsman's arms.  
  
"Gourry?" she asked, eyes closed. (B4)  
  
The man's words were whispered, his breath tickling her ear.  
  
"No. Not Gourry."  
  
She shivered, feeling oddly chill. "Who are you?"  
  
"Guess." His voice was like satin, smooth, carressing.  
  
Lina opened her eyes. The strong arms were clad in red velvet.  
  
Hair the colour of rare meat was draped across her shoulder, long, but  
  
not too long. The skin of his hand as he embraced her was a pale  
  
brown. "Who are you?" she asked, beginning to get angry.  
  
He laughed. "Look at me and ask me that." He loosened his  
  
embrace. "Look at me..."  
  
She turned, and her gaze was caught by eyes lacking white or   
  
pupil, eyes a pure, ruby red.  
  
"... My Knight."//  
  
***  
  
In his sleep, Gourry turned over. //He was hunting. He was  
  
catching dinner for Lina. He wanted Lina to like it.  
  
"Gotcha!" he crowed, checking his traps. Good sized rabbit.  
  
Carefully, he skinned it, prepared it for cooking. Wrapping  
  
the body in oilcloth, he brought it back to camp.  
  
Lina looked up and smiled. "You're back!" She jumped up and  
  
ran to him. "You brought dinner!" Smiling with love, she wrapped  
  
her arms around him.//  
  
***  
  
In the chill night air, Xelloss gazed at the stars. Around him,  
  
everyone was dreaming.  
  
What can it be like, he wondered, to dream? I've entered other's  
  
dreams before, but I've never experienced them first hand. What is it  
  
like? I know that people sometimes know they're dreaming, and sometimes  
  
they don't and it's a complete other world. Why?  
  
Why?  
  
He smiled. If I'm not careful, I'll become a philosopher.  
  
Suddenly he froze, sensing the air. "Something..."  
  
A familiar sense, as familiar as himself. Perhaps...  
  
it couldn't be! Was one of the seals beginning to fracture?  
  
Xelloss sent his mind out. //"Xellas-sama?"//  
  
//Paws on dirt, a brief halt. The prey would escape, but  
  
she'd just track it again later. "Yes, Xelloss?"//  
  
//"I'm sensing something... odd." He sent her a brief   
  
pulse of the Presence he was feeling. "Is it just me, or..."//  
  
//"Xelloss."//  
  
//"Yes, Xellas-sama?"//  
  
//"Come here. Now." She broke contact.//   
  
Tilting his head on one side, the priest shrugged and teleported  
  
himself to her domain, where she was already waiting. "So?"  
  
She was looking uneasy. "Xelloss, for a few days now, we --  
  
that is, I, and I believe the other generals as well -- have been   
  
feeling one of the seals weaken. The seal is the one hidden in the   
  
temple of Cepheed in--"  
  
"Of course!" Xelloss smiled. "From the Koku no Tani, where we  
  
were unable to enter."  
  
"One of the reasons I wanted you to stay with the group, of course,  
  
since they were in fact heading straight for there. But it's possible  
  
that the reason it weakened is because it has been removed from the   
  
shrine."  
  
Her servant gazed at her evenly. "Do you want me to leave the   
  
group and search for it on my own?"  
  
Xellas hesitated a long moment. "No," she finally decided.   
  
"We're still uncertain as to whether it's been removed or not. If it  
  
has, it has obviously been stolen, and Shabrinigido-sama will be doing  
  
his best to eat into the thief's mind. He will, of course, eventually  
  
succeed, and the thief will be the key to his rebirth. (B5) If it is still  
  
in the shrine and is weakening anyway, you will be heading right for it.  
  
Perhaps we could even convince Amelia to take it for us." (B6)  
  
Xelloss bowed. "Xellas-sama. Is that all?"  
  
The Beastmaster shook her head. "No. Xelloss... it's approaching  
  
the next century anniversary. How are you doing?"  
  
"I deal. I always deal. Every one hundred years, I deal,"  
  
Xelloss pointed out. "And if he hadn't died, I would never have fallen  
  
into your service, Xellas-sama." He smiled. "Xer died a thousand  
  
years ago. I don't think you have to worry about me any longer."  
  
She chuckled. "All right, Xelloss. Go back and play your little  
  
games."  
  
He smiled. "Don't I always?"  
  
***  
  
Homen clutched at the necklace, as he doubled over, coughing.   
  
Maybe they were chasing him! Was there some way to track him? (B7)  
  
His breath wheezed in his throat, and for the thousanth time,  
  
he cursed his weakness, his breathing, his heart. Slowly, he calmed.  
  
No, if the Dragons were chasing him, surely they'd know where he was  
  
by now.   
  
Lifting the ruby teardrop, he gazed into it's depths. The fault,  
  
appearing like two glowing flecks of light, winked. Grinning suddenly,  
  
he winked back. "You 'an me, we'll do all right."  
  
***  
  
"Good morning, minna-san," Xelloss chirped. Five faces glared  
  
at him.  
  
Lina scowled. "You call this morning?!" She peered upward.  
  
"That's obscene!"  
  
"The sun's up," Xelloss pointed out. "If you want to eat and  
  
get going before noon, we should start soon!"  
  
Immediately, three stomachs rumbled. "What did you make?" Amelia  
  
asked.  
  
Xelloss tilted his head, curious. "Make? Why would I do that?  
  
Honestly, cook once for you guys and you come to depend on a guy."  
  
The red-haired sorceress groaned and pulled the blanket back  
  
over her head. "Just five more minutes."  
  
***  
  
Nakoku gazed up at the sun shining down, one hand shielding his  
  
eyes. If he had his way, he'd travel by night, but it was easier  
  
to beg rides this way. Besides, an eight-year-old child sleeping by  
  
the side of the road aroused suspicion.  
  
A cart ground to a halt beside him, and he turned a bright,  
  
child's smile to him. "Hey, mister!"  
  
The driver peered at him. "Kid, where're your parents?"  
  
"Dunno," Nakoku shrugged. "I'm trying to get to Zefilia! Do you  
  
know how I can get there?"  
  
Pursing his lips, the driver considered. "That's miles and miles  
  
away, kid. There's no way you can get there."  
  
Nakoku sniffled, hating the act but knowing it worked. "Please,  
  
mister! I gotta get there really bad! It's important."  
  
"Your parents live there?"  
  
He shook his head. "Sister."  
  
"Ah." The driver's eyes widened. "I see." He sighed. "Well,  
  
I can only take you to Raldale, but that's on the way there. It'll be  
  
a long trip past there."  
  
Pupil-less green eyes lighting up, Nakoku held out a hand for the  
  
driver to help him up. "Thanks so much, mister! I won't forget this!"  
  
***  
  
On foot again (they'd left their horses behind way back in  
  
Seiryuun)(B8), they kicked up dust as they walked. Xelloss floated over  
  
their heads, smiling eyes surveying the road before them.   
  
Guntair glanced to the side and smiled at Amelia. The shaman  
  
smiled back tiredly. "You all right?" Guntair asked her.  
  
She yawned. "Strange dreams. You know."  
  
He shrugged. "I don't dream much, myself."  
  
"Oh." Again, in her mind's eye, she saw a spell rushing   
  
towards Guntair, blood fountaining from his mouth as it crashed into  
  
him. And again, only this time a red-violet eyed Amelia jumped in  
  
front of the blast, saving him, healing almost immediately.   
  
//You could save him from situations like that.//  
  
Guntair frowned. "Amelia? What's wrong?"  
  
"Huh? Oh!" She cheered up again. "Nothing! Just deep   
  
in thought!" (B9)  
  
"Okay." He shrugged, accidentally cutting down a signpost with   
  
his blade.  
  
"Gun?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Promise me you won't die."  
  
He blinked at her. "Amelia, I'm not going to die. I'm  
  
not that easy to kill, you know."  
  
She blushed. "Yeah, I know that in my mind, but my heart's  
  
still scared... I guess I've just been thinking a lot about life and  
  
death."  
  
His smile was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.  
  
"Well, don't worry."  
  
Xelloss had floated back to their level. "Yeah, it's really  
  
difficult to kill Ryuzoku. Injure them, no, but kill? It takes so  
  
much!" He laughed, shaking his head as if reminiscing.  
  
The Ryuzoku scowled at him. "You aren't making her feel better."  
  
"No? Pity." Still smiling, he floated up again and tried to engage  
  
a tired Lina in conversation. (B10)  
  
"Goddamn Mazoku," Guntair snarled under his breath.  
  
Amelia hesitated. "Well... he did save my life. It doesn't make  
  
up for past things, but... I don't know." She shook her head.   
  
Guntair wrapped an arm around her. "Anyways, just don't worry.  
  
Everything will be fine."  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis was walking with his eyes half-closed, trying to get rest  
  
he hadn't been able to get while asleep.   
  
A hand fell on his shoulder. "Tired?" Xelloss asked.  
  
"Mm."  
  
"Keep having nightmares?"  
  
Tired eyes glared at him. "Aren't Mazoku supposed to sense  
  
that sort of thing?"  
  
Xelloss shrugged. "Yeah."  
  
"Don't you know, then, if you were there?"  
  
The Mazoku smiled suddenly. "It's pointless to try to make small  
  
talk with you, now isn't it? What are they about?"  
  
You. A very young you. "Nothing really," Zelgadis lied. "I really  
  
can't remember now. Seems stupid by the light of day."  
  
***  
  
"Thanks, mister!" Nakoku waved as the cart pulled away, then   
  
examined the sandwich the nice old man had given him. Ham. He   
  
shrugged, then took a bite. Pretty good, actually.  
  
Rummaging in his pockets for money, he sighed as he came up with  
  
a few silvers only. "Maybe they'll let me stay anyway," he murmured,  
  
heading into the inn.  
  
***  
  
"I'm so hungry..." Lina moaned. "I'm sooooo hungry... When  
  
are we going to make it for dinner?!"  
  
Zelgadis sighed irritably. "You've been saying that every   
  
minute. It's not making the food come any faster."  
  
"I know... but I'm still hungry!"  
  
Xelloss floated up. "Well... it might just be my imagination...  
  
but I think I see an inn up ahead!"  
  
Gourry looked at Lina. Lina looked at Gourry. They both set  
  
off. "I'm gonna get there first!" Lina shouted, tripping Gourry.  
  
"Mou! No fair!"  
  
Smiling at the others, the Mazoku priest shrugged. "I've gotta   
  
teleport there and beat them otherwise they won't beat me into the   
  
ground." He vanished.  
  
The remaining three sighed and made their weary way towards the  
  
inn.  
  
***  
  
Lina skidded to a halt inside the inn. "Quick, innkeep, give  
  
me all your..." she stopped as she saw a little kid with his eyes  
  
wide as his money span across the room. "What's going on here?"  
  
"Nothing," the innkeep said, sweatdropping. He bent down to  
  
the little boy's level. "Listen, kid. Two silvers is not enough  
  
for a night's lodging and dinner. Do you understand?"  
  
The kid nodded, then slowly went around picking up his coins.  
  
"Yeah, I know, mister. But it's all I got, and I don't wanna spend  
  
another night on the road... but I'll go anyway." He pocketed his  
  
coins.   
  
Lina frowned. "Hey, kid, what's your name?"  
  
The little boy blinked. "You talking to me?"  
  
"See any other kids?"  
  
"I'm... N-kun." (B11)  
  
Lina smiled at him. "Well..." She turned to the innkeep.  
  
"N-kun's stay will be included in our group, all right?"  
  
The innkeep shrugged. "If you can pay, it's fine by me."  
  
N-kun blinked. "Hey, thanks, lady!"  
  
"You don't mind sharing a room, do you?"  
  
The expression on the boy's face sank. "Uh... I can't stay  
  
with other people. I have horrible nightmares any time I sleep  
  
around others."  
  
Gourry patted N-kun's head. "That's okay, little boy. I'm  
  
sure we can afford a spare room for you."  
  
"Gourry, we can't--"  
  
The blond swordsman just looked at Lina.  
  
Sighing, the sorceress dug in her cloak. "All right."  
  
***  
  
Nakoku sank back into his seat at dinner, under the eyes of   
  
four strangers and two half-strangers. "Uh... hi?"  
  
The strange scaled one -- probably a chimera, Nakoku noted --  
  
rolled his eyes. "Picking up more strays, Lina?"  
  
The sorceress who had first offered to pay looked offended.  
  
"If he's a stray, then so are you... and Amelia... and Guntair!"  
  
"I'm good in battle and a time-tried companion," the chimera  
  
said dryly.  
  
Ok, Nakoku thought angriliy, I have to say something here.  
  
"Pleased to meet you too," he said sarcastically.  
  
The purple-haired floating one patted Zelgadis's head. "I  
  
think he likes you, Zel!"  
  
"I think he's adorable!" The bouncy small one said. "He's so  
  
cute! I'm glad he joined the party!"  
  
The black-haired man shrugged. "So, what's in the soup?"  
  
"Wait wait wait," Nakoku said, then remembered to sound childish.  
  
"It's nice that you paid for my night, but I can't stay with you   
  
guys, even if you ARE adults. (B12) I've gotta see my sister at Zefilia!  
  
So I gotta get going tomorrow, and..."  
  
"Zefilia?" Lina asked, looking up from the menu. "I come from  
  
there. We're heading in that direction, actually. It's a fairly  
  
long trip. Come with us, why don't you? Safety in numbers, you know.  
  
I'm kinda well-known as a bandit-hunter, and we're all good fighters!"  
  
Nakoku began to get seriously worried. "I don't really do too  
  
well around people..."  
  
Bouncey-girl raised a finger. "You can never overcome a fear  
  
without first confronting it!" she recited.  
  
The blond guy... Gourry?... stood up and slammed his fist down  
  
on the table. "I won't have a little kid travelling alone and that's  
  
final!" he exclaimed, then sat and turned to a waiter. "How big is  
  
the gynormous platter?"  
  
Sighing, Nakoku brushed his bangs out of his eyes. It was going  
  
to be one of those days, obviously.  
  
Well, he could always sneak away when night fell while they were  
  
on the road. "I'm N-kun," he ventured shyly.  
  
"I'm Amelia Wil Tessla Seiryuun, champion of justice!" the bouncy  
  
one exclaimed. Suddenly, she blushed and turned her attention to the  
  
menu again. "I'll have all of... these."  
  
"I'm Guntair," the black-haired guy said, smiling. "I'm a   
  
Dragon. Have you ever seen a Dragon before? Oh... never mind about  
  
the soup, just give me three ultra-rare steaks."  
  
Lina just handed her menu to the waiter. "Just give me one  
  
of everything."  
  
Nakoku's jaw was half-way to the table.  
  
The chimera sighed. "I'm Zelgadis. Coffee only, if you please."  
  
The waiter was scribbling furiously.  
  
"Uh..." Nakoku began, before his hand was grabbed by the floating  
  
guy.  
  
"I'm Xelloss! It's always nice to meet someone new!" Xelloss   
  
opened his eyes.  
  
Mazoku, Nakoku noticed, hiding it and pretending not to know.  
  
"You got weird eyes, mister!"  
  
"Only the ones I've always had." To the waiter, Xelloss just  
  
quickly said, "Chocolate sundae, nothing else." When the others looked  
  
at him, he grinned. "Refined taste?"  
  
All gazes were now on Nakoku. "Uh... I'll have the chicken  
  
cordon bleu," he said.  
  
Simultaneous facefaulting.  
  
"... whatever that is," he added.  
  
***  
  
"So I'm sharing a room with you, Gun-kun?" Xelloss asked the  
  
pointless question, flopping down on one of the beds.  
  
Guntair growled. "I'm no happier about it than you are, Mazoku."  
  
"What makes you think I'm not happy?"  
  
Snorting, the Dragon examined his own bed. "That's right, you're  
  
always happy." He pulled back the sheets and examined the inside.   
  
"I don't see why you need a room, you admitted to not even sleeping."  
  
Xelloss figured he wasn't expected to answer the question. "Out  
  
of curiosity..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Why are you doing that?"  
  
Guntair glared at him. "I'm checking to see that they aren't dirty,"  
  
he said carefully, as though to a child.  
  
"But... you were sleeping on the ground for the last few days,"   
  
Xelloss pointed out.  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
Laughing, the Mazoku checked for squeaky springs. "I will   
  
never understand Ryuzoku, you know?"  
  
"Thank Cepheed," Guntair sighed, deciding the sheets were clean  
  
enough. "That would be the day I actually started fearing you."  
  
"You don't fear me now?"  
  
Guntair got into bed fully clothed, obviously preparing for  
  
having to move fast in the middle of the night. "Of course not."  
  
"You think there's no reason to?" Xelloss opened his eyes. He  
  
knew they gleamed slightly in the dark.  
  
"There's nothing YOU could do to ME." Guntair slid a dagger   
  
under his pillow.  
  
"I'm glad you feel that way." Xelloss chuckled darkly.   
  
"Pleasant dreams."  
  
A few minutes later, he spoke again. "It's got to be   
  
uncomfortable, sleeping with your hand under the pillow like  
  
that."  
  
"Shut up and let me sleep."  
  
Xelloss found a nice squeaky spot and shifted to it, knowing  
  
it would slowly drive Guntair up the wall. "Ever meet any Dragons  
  
who WEREN'T Blacks?"  
  
"I thought I told you to shut up."  
  
"Just making friendly night-time speech."  
  
Guntair rolled over. "Go screw yourself."  
  
"You think that would be any quieter?"  
  
The Dragon twitched and cut his finger on the dagger under the  
  
pillow. "Ok, things I didn't want to know. I am not asking. I am  
  
not... that isn't even physically possible for a Mazoku, is it?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?" Xelloss grinned. "And, no, not technically,  
  
but it would make a great conversation topic, wouldn't it?"  
  
"No. And I'm sleeping, so shut up."  
  
"And talking about--"  
  
"We weren't."  
  
Xelloss snickered. "Could have fooled me. Anyway, how are things  
  
between you and Amelia?"  
  
Snorting, Guntair replied, "Why the hell should I tell you?"  
  
"Well," Xelloss began, "since I saved her life at a cost to myself  
  
at your request, I think perhaps I have a RIGHT--"  
  
"It's going fine."  
  
Slowly, the Mazoku began squeaking the mattress. "How far have  
  
you gotten?"  
  
"THAT's none of your business."  
  
"Aw, come on, tell me."  
  
"No."  
  
"I bet you've slept with her!"  
  
"I have not!"  
  
"Oh?" Xelloss grinned. "Why not?"  
  
"Would you stop that stupid noise?" Guntair snarled. "And SOME  
  
of us have our minds someplace OTHER than the gutter!"  
  
"Oh, so that's why you're so touchy. You're not getting any." (B13)  
  
"I--" Guntair realized the Mazoku was baiting him and shut up.  
  
"I'm going to sleep now."  
  
"I could give you some pointers, you know," Xelloss made the bed  
  
squeak a little louder. "Seduction is a fine art."  
  
The Dragon snickered. "Unlike you, I don't need to seduce someone  
  
to make them love me."  
  
"You're STILL not getting any."  
  
"What the hell was Lina-san thinking when she put you in a room  
  
with me?" Guntair wondered.  
  
Xelloss put on a lecturing tone. "You see, she wouldn't put a guy  
  
in a room with a girl because she thinks many wicked thoughts about such  
  
things. She loves Gourry and didn't want to shut him in a room with me.  
  
She didn't want to deal with the spell explosions she is used to finding  
  
when I piss Zelgadis off, so you were the only sacrificable male left."  
  
Guntair shook his head. "But why would Zelgadis blast you? Aren't  
  
you two lovers?"  
  
Long silence in which even the squeaking stopped. "I'm sorry, but  
  
that information's classified," Xelloss told him finally. "I could   
  
tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."  
  
"That's not funny."  
  
"Who says I was joking?"  
  
Guntair's hand tightened on the dagger. "It's not like I WANT to  
  
know, you can keep your secrets. I was just saying that since you knew  
  
so much about me and Amelia..."  
  
"And Guntair?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"When I promise to keep a secret, I mean it," Xelloss said  
  
flatly. "And if you breathe even a word of that to the others, you'll  
  
wish you were a Gold Dragon."  
  
Guntair frowned. "Gold Dragon... what ABOUT the Gold Dragons?"  
  
"Ask Lina." Suddenly his usual jovial self again, Xelloss   
  
said, "Good night, Gun-kun!" And disappeared.  
  
The Ryuzoku shuddered. He really, really did NOT like Xelloss.  
  
***  
  
Rising, Nakoku stretched and sighed. Mmmm... almost nightfall,  
  
he smiled. Almost time to be normal again... if just for a little while.  
  
There was a knock on his door, and Lina's voice called, "Hey,   
  
N-kun, you all right?"  
  
Damn, damn, damn! She'd better go away soon, or she'd hear the  
  
difference in his voice. "I'm fine! I'm just going to bed now!"  
  
The moon was rising! Hurry up! he agonized.  
  
"Okay," Lina's voice called back. "I'll be just two doors  
  
down if you need me!"  
  
"Great!" Nakoku listened as she walked away, then threw open  
  
the window. Moonlight shone in upon him and he... grew.  
  
Adult Nakoku shook back his long, black hair, sighing with   
  
relief at being himself again. Leather creaked as he crawled into  
  
bed.  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis woke suddenly, feeling someone touch his shoulder.  
  
Survival instincts kicked in and he threw the intruder as hard as he  
  
could.  
  
Gourry opened his eyes, blinking. "Hey, Zel... why's there a   
  
Xelloss-shaped hole in the wall?" he asked sleepily.  
  
"No reason," Zelgadis said firmly. "Go back to sleep."  
  
"Okay," Gourry agreed, turning over and falling asleep immediately.  
  
Rubbing his head, Xelloss crawled back through the hole and over  
  
to Zelgadis. "Nice instincts."  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Zelgadis demanded.   
  
Xelloss smirked. "That's a nice way to greet your--"  
  
"Shh! You'll wake up Gourry!"  
  
"Okay, okay. But I need to talk to you, so--" Xelloss grabbed  
  
Zelgadis and suddenly they were both out in the stables. The horses  
  
snorted at them in surprise.  
  
Zelgadis stumbled, then looked around the smelly stables. "If  
  
this is your idea of romance, I'm not interested."  
  
"Such a sweetie, you are," Xelloss smiled. "But, alas, it wasn't  
  
precisely romance I wanted to talk to you about. You can change the  
  
subject if you'd like, though."  
  
"Don't think so. What did you want?" Zelgadis crossed his arms  
  
across his chest, feeling the chill of the night air.  
  
Xelloss floated up, legs crossed, scaring the horses who sniffed  
  
the air curiously. "Several things, actually.  
  
Did you know that Guntair knows?"  
  
"Guntair knows what?"  
  
"That we're lovers."  
  
"HE WHAT?"  
  
"Shh, you'll wake the stable hands." Xelloss glanced around  
  
the stable. "He brought it up in casual conversation, actually. Don't  
  
worry, I think I scared him enough that he's not going to mention it  
  
again."  
  
Zelgadis slumped. "L-sama. If he knows, the others must know."  
  
"Not necessarily. He's newer and doesn't have the same long-term  
  
opinion the others do."  
  
The chimera shook his head. "I suppose I can still hope. What  
  
else?"  
  
"What do you think of our little child-friend?"  
  
"N-kun? I think he's going to be a bother, but we can deal with  
  
that."  
  
Xelloss had a nonchalant expression on his face. "Don't you think  
  
he seems a little... unusual?"  
  
"No. What do you mean?"  
  
***  
  
//"You aren't real," Lina said lamely. "You are NOT real." (B14)  
  
Shabrinigido chuckled, breath tickling her cheek. "None of  
  
that. You're too strong to lie to yourself like that."  
  
Yes. She knew he was real.  
  
His hands tightened around her and she blushed slightly when  
  
she realized where they were. "Hey, stop that!"  
  
"Stop what?" he chuckled. "This? Or perhaps you are referring  
  
to... this?"  
  
"HEY!" She pulled herself out of his arms. "Ok, so maybe  
  
you ARE the dark lord Ruby Eyed Shabrinigido, but that gives you NO  
  
right to do that! Fine, so even assuming I AM your knight -- which I'm  
  
not -- you don't need to try to seduce me!"  
  
He was laughing. He was laughing at her. Lina fumed.   
  
Raising his arm, the dark lord ran a hand through her hair.   
  
"Like flame."  
  
"Great," Lina groaned. "Just great. And I thought getting hit  
  
on by criminals was bad."  
  
Chuckling again, he pulled the furious sorceress close. "You  
  
are angry, but I sense you are enjoying yourself. Why be angry? Give  
  
yourself up to it."  
  
"Uh, let me think," Lina said sarcastically. "Maybe... no?"  
  
"You don't need to want me," Shabrinigido told her, red eyes  
  
glinting as he watched her, "so long as you want Me."  
  
"Which made absolutely no sense," Lina informed him.  
  
"Me, Lina. Everything I represent. The power. You've felt it  
  
before, I gave it to you freely. You can make everything the way you  
  
want it to be. That pretty blond boy? He can be yours."  
  
Lina shook her head rapidly. "Gourry? Who says I want him?"  
  
"You can't lie to me, Lina. I am your lover, your father, and  
  
your son. My power makes me all that, it burns in your blood. Recreate  
  
the world. You can do it any time you choose." Suddenly, all around  
  
them, the world was burning, changing. "Cure that friend of yours?  
  
Easy, my avatar used my power to create him, you can unmake him.   
  
Create a world of justice for Amelia? Easy to make her her own world.  
  
And yourself... never again would you have to fear. Not even your  
  
older sister. You could make her fear YOU."  
  
"Onee-san?" Lina blanched. Then suspicion seeped back into  
  
her face. I can't believe I'm listening to him! she agonized.  
  
"That's all you want me for, isn't it? To defeat Onee-san because  
  
she's the Knight of Cepheed?"  
  
Suddenly, the burning was all around her, scorching her   
  
briefly (B15). "NEVER say that name in my presence again, do you   
  
understand? Never."  
  
Lina stuck her tongue out. "Cepheed. Cepheed Cepheed   
  
Cepheed!"  
  
Briefly he shut his eyes, and a smile flickered across his face.  
  
"I'm not angry. It's one of the reasons I chose you. But think about   
  
it, Lina. Think of what you could do."//  
  
All of a sudden, Lina woke. "Bastard," she snarled, then clapped  
  
a hand over her mouth as she remembered she wasn't alone.   
  
Glancing over at the other bed, though, she saw she hadn't woken  
  
Amelia. The younger girl was biting her lip in her sleep and mumbling  
  
a denial.  
  
Lina crushed the little part of her that was glad that it wasn't  
  
just her having her nights disturbed like this.  
  
***  
  
Far away, a woman sat up in bed, smoothing down the bedsheets  
  
as she processed what she'd learned.  
  
"So. She's in trouble again," she murmured, disturbing smile  
  
lingering on her lips. "Guess I've gotta bail her out."  
  
She'd hand in her resignation in the morning. It was about time  
  
she went to the shrine in the Koku no Tani anyway. And if she managed  
  
to catch Lina on the way there, in her usual capacity... couldn't hurt.  
  
That settled, Luna Inverse rolled over in bed to go to more  
  
pleasant dreams.  
  
***  
  
//"Are you one of ours?"  
  
Amelia covered her ears. "STOP ASKING ME THAT!"  
  
"Are you one of ours?"  
  
"NO! NO NO NO!"  
  
"Are you one of ours?"  
  
"STOP!"  
  
"Are you--"  
  
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
The eyes inside her chuckled. "Are you one of ours?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Do you want to be one of ours?"  
  
Amelia opened her eyes. Beside her, Guntair rolled over sleepily.  
  
"'Sa matter, 'Melia? Bed too rocky?"  
  
Startled, the shaman realized that she was outside, in a travelling  
  
arrangement. "Doesn't it bother you?"  
  
"Naw... Ryuzoku don't feel it as strongly as humans, I guess. You  
  
want my under-blanket?"  
  
She blushed. "No, it's okay."  
  
He smiled at her, yellow eyes shining. "Amelia, I love you."  
  
"I... I love you t--"  
  
Suddenly, screams rang out as people charged into the wooded clearing  
  
around them. Everyone threw off their blankets, coming awake, reaching for  
  
their weapons. Guntair grabbed his sword, but still half-asleep, stumbled.  
  
A monster -- no other words for the disgusting, wolf-like appearance --   
  
leapt at him, teeth flashing. Everything seemed to become slow, for a moment,  
  
as Amelia screamed. Blood fountained from his throat as he fell, croaking  
  
out her name, and she bit her lip, hard enough to draw blood. There was   
  
nothing. Nothing she'd been able to do! She was a shaman, why hadn't  
  
she done anything?!  
  
Stop. Repeat.  
  
Amelia opened her eyes. Beside her, Guntair rolled over sleepily.  
  
"'Sa matter, 'Melia? Bed too rocky?"  
  
Startled, the shaman realized that she was outside, in a travelling  
  
arrangement. "Does it bother you?"  
  
"Naw... not you, either, then? I guess Ryuzoku and Mazoku are alike  
  
in that respect."  
  
She blushed. "That and others."  
  
He smiled at her, yellow eyes shining. "Amelia, I love you."  
  
"I... I love you t--"  
  
Suddenly, screams rang out as people charged into the wooded clearing  
  
around them. Everyone threw off their blankets, coming awake, reaching for   
  
their weapons. Guntair grabbed his sword, but still half-asleep, stumbled.   
  
A monster -- one of the Beastmaster's servants gone rogue, Amelia noted --  
  
leapt at him, teeth flashing. Everything seemed to become slow, for a moment,  
  
as Amelia used the power granted to her when Xelloss and the Beastmaster  
  
had made her part Mazoku to phaze out and phaze in again in front of Guntair.  
  
The ex-pack member ripped her throat out and a strange pleasure washed through  
  
her as it healed again. She caught the wolf-creature with a jaw in each hand  
  
and used the strength granted to her to rip it in two, blood fountaining.  
  
Behind her, Guntair laughed. "Thanks, Amelia!"  
  
And Amelia was back in the place where the eyes inside her burned  
  
into her. "You see? Become one of ours and that's what you can get."  
  
Amelia felt her resolve weakening. "No... it's not right..."  
  
"Amelia, do you want to save him?"  
  
"Yes, of course!"  
  
"Become one of ours and you can."  
  
What was the right answer? Was there one? Amelia opened her  
  
mouth. "All ri--"//  
  
And came awake as Lina shook her. "Huh? What?"  
  
The red-haired sorceress sighed. "You were thrashing about like  
  
crazy, so I thought it would be better if I woke you."  
  
I think she just saved me. "Thanks, Lina."  
  
"No problem."  
  
***  
  
Zelgadis scratched his head, settling back into bed.   
  
The little Xelloss had told him didn't make sense. He  
  
had a feeling that the priest hadn't told him everything, but maybe  
  
he didn't know everything.   
  
Not human, not Mazoku, not Ryuzoku, not a created being, but   
  
still sentient? There wasn't such a thing on this world, not that  
  
Zelgadis knew.  
  
Probably Xelloss was just overreacting. It was the only explanation  
  
that made sense. So what if he felt a little odd, acted a little  
  
mature, and had no pupils at all?   
  
Zelgadis sighed. At this rate, he'd never get to sleep.  
  
***  
  
//Lina whooped. "Look at this haul, Gourry!"  
  
He had eyes only for her. "Yeah, lucky hit with these bandits!"  
  
"I'm glad you agreed to stay on and do this with me." Her red  
  
eyes were happy.  
  
"Me too."//  
  
In his sleep, Gourry smiled.  
  
***  
  
//Guntair was flying. He was flying as hard as he could, and  
  
as fast, wings aching from lack of use. "Amelia!"  
  
Her voice was distant. "Hey, Guntair! Come and find me!"  
  
For some reason, he couldn't tell what direction it was coming  
  
from, and looked around desperately. "Where are you?"  
  
"Find me!"  
  
"I can't! Where are you?"  
  
"Find me!"  
  
"AMELIA!!!!"//  
  
***  
  
Finally, Zelgadis slept.  
  
//Long hair flowing out behind him, Xerinier bounced into his  
  
younger brother's room. "Hey, Xel!"  
  
He stopped fast, seeing his father turn towards him. "I--"  
  
His father waved a clawed hand for him to be silent, wings  
  
rearranging themselves. "Either go away or be silent. I am dealing  
  
with our little namagomi."  
  
Xer peered around his father to see Xelloss against the far wall,  
  
purple eyes wide, pupils dilated to seem almost round, but no emotion  
  
on his face at all. The older brother didn't move to help, shifting  
  
uncomfortably and glancing back and forth between the two.  
  
"Who made you come into this world?"  
  
"You did, Papa," Xelloss answered, child's face serious.  
  
"Who keeps you alive?"  
  
"You do, Papa."  
  
"Who do you rely on?"  
  
"You, Papa."  
  
"Who do you trust?"  
  
"You, Papa."  
  
"Who do you want to keep happy?"  
  
"You, Papa."  
  
"Anyone else?"  
  
"Only you, Papa."  
  
"Who is your master?"  
  
For a minute, Xelloss's face showed uncertainty. "I am..."  
  
Calmly, their father slashed Xelloss with his claws, opening up  
  
bloody scrapes across the child Mazoku's chest. Xelloss shivered  
  
and rolled with the blow, but did not make any other response. "Wrong  
  
answer. Who is your master?"  
  
"I..."  
  
This time, their father grabbed Xelloss and slammed him back  
  
into the wall, holding him there. Xelloss was shaking, but the   
  
expression on his face was difficult to read as fear. "One more  
  
chance, Xelloss. Who is your master?"  
  
"You are, Papa," Xelloss whispered.  
  
"And you are lousy namagomi. You are trash, boy. You know  
  
that, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, Papa."  
  
"Do you like being namagomi?"  
  
"If you want me to, Papa."  
  
"Good boy." Their father glanced back at Xerinier. "Shut  
  
the door, don't be useless like this one."//  
  
***  
  
This night, Nakoku didn't dream. He slept, but where his mind  
  
went was not a dream.  
  
He was in a sea of gold, wrapped in his mother's arms.  
  
***  
  
Everyone looked up as Nakoku bounded down the stairs. "Hey,  
  
minna!" he chirped. "How did everyone sleep?"  
  
Bleary eyes gazed at him, then went back to contemplating menus.  
  
"I slept great!" he informed the world in general. "Everything's  
  
wonderful today!"  
  
"Kid?" Lina said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Don't make me regret allowing you to join on with us."  
  
Nakoku whistled, and four people winced. "That bad, huh?"  
  
Silence. "I think I'll have the mutton," Lina muttered.  
  
"In the morning?" Xelloss exclaimed cheerily. "Boy, Lina,  
  
you can sure pack it away!"  
  
She glared at him with bloodshot eyes. "Don't even start with  
  
me, Xelloss, don't even start. I've faced down Sha..." she hesitated,  
  
"... the Ruby Eyed and don't think that you'd be that much harder."  
  
"Well, if you're willing to Giga Slave everyone here and--"  
  
"Just shut up," Lina commanded.  
  
Guntair waved a spoon unsteadily at Xelloss. "You're such a   
  
annoyance, you know that? Stupid Mazoku."  
  
"Aw, you're so SWEET!"   
  
Nakoku pretended to be surprised. "A Mazoku?!" he shouted. People  
  
around the inn were beginning to look at them strangely. "But those are big  
  
and ucky!"  
  
"Thank you," Xelloss told him. "It's people like you who do WONDERS  
  
for my self-esteem."  
  
"You mean you ARE a nasty demon thing?!? But... but..."  
  
"Not so loud!" Zelgadis hissed. "We're attracting attention!"  
  
Lina patted Nakoku on the head. "It's okay, N-kun. He's annoying  
  
at times but he usually doesn't do anything really bad."  
  
Xelloss hit his open palm with a fist, making a 'pon' noise. "I get  
  
it! It's pick on Xelloss day! Everyone join in for the festivities!" (B16)  
  
"Don't mind if I do," Guntair snorted.  
  
Nakoku looked around nervously as a waiter came up to their table  
  
and cleared his throat.   
  
"I'm afraid you'll have to leave, misses, sirs."  
  
Lina blinked. "You're kicking us out?"  
  
"Management orders. I'm very sorry..."  
  
"AND WE'RE NOT EVEN GETTING FOOD FIRST?!?"  
  
She began to glow red.  
  
***  
  
"Was that REALLY necessary?" Guntair asked Lina as they sped  
  
along the road at top speed, hoping nobody was following. "Blowing  
  
the whole place up, I mean?"  
  
"I hope no one was hurt," Amelia worried.  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "You know, Lina, you're not even using  
  
spells to do your dirty work any more, you're just, you know, DOING it."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean? FIREBALL!"  
  
"I take it back!"  
  
Zelgadis's brows creased. "I think he's right, though. You do  
  
seem to be getting stronger."  
  
Lina sighed, head down. "I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"But--" Amelia began.  
  
"I said I didn't want to talk about it, okay? Just drop it."  
  
Xelloss glanced back over his shoulder. "Ne, Lina-san, don't  
  
look now, but there's an angry mob following us."  
  
The sorceress glanced back. "Oh no!"  
  
"I told you not to look."  
  
Nakoku bounced up and down on Guntair's shoulder. "Ow! Watch  
  
it! That hurts!" At least he wasn't on the shoulder with the sword,  
  
though, he reasoned.  
  
"Lina-san, they're shouting, 'Kill the abominable sorceress and  
  
her Mazoku friends'," Xelloss reported.  
  
"I AM NOT ABOMINABLE!" Lina screamed back at them. "How many  
  
times do I have to tell people that?!"  
  
Zelgadis stopped. "Right, enough of this. Levitation!"  
  
"Ow, wow, Zelgadis-san!" Amelia exclaimed. "I can't believe  
  
I forgot about that! Levitation!" On her way up, she scooped  
  
Nakoku up.  
  
Lina sighed. "Levitation!"  
  
Xelloss, already floating, followed them up.  
  
Back on the ground, Guntair and Gourry sweatdropped. Quickly,  
  
Guntair stripped off his shirt and tucked it in his belt, not wanting  
  
to lose yet another outfit. Changing into half-ryuu form, he took   
  
off after them with a few flaps of his wings.  
  
"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Gourry screamed. Seeing the crowd gaining on  
  
them, he began running. "Liiinaaa! Somebodyyyyyy!"  
  
Diving down, Lina let him grab her around the waist. "Don't  
  
get any ideas," she warned him  
  
"I'm not! Just get me out of here!"  
  
Lina went up again.  
  
For a moment, the only sound was that of the angry mob screaming  
  
things. Then Gourry began screaming as well. "I HATE FLYING!"  
  
"Jeez, Gourry, will you knock it off? Now isn't the time for  
  
a panic attack! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GRABBING!"  
  
A whistling noise filled the air, then a wet thunk. Xelloss  
  
coughed, fiddling with the arrow stuck in his back, the tip having just  
  
emerged from his front. "Don't look now, Lina-san, but they've got   
  
archers."  
  
Lina glanced down and saw the many rows of arrowheads pointed at  
  
them. "Oh no!"  
  
"I told you not to look!"  
  
Amelia slapped her forehead, almost dropping Nakoku, who squeaked  
  
and grabbed onto her busom. "Hey, Zelgadis-san! Sustained Raywing  
  
bubble, okay?"  
  
"Right!"  
  
They both counted to three. "RAYWING!"  
  
The bubble came up around them just in time. Arrows bounced off  
  
the protective shell almost as soon as it came up.  
  
"I'M FALLING! I'M FALLING!"  
  
"OH, WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP?! I'M GETTING REALLY PISSED OFF!"  
  
Silence for a moment, again, then a wet noise as Xelloss pulled  
  
out the arrow without bothering to break off the arrowhead.  
  
Nakoku blinked his big green eyes. "Say, do you guys always  
  
lead this interesting a life?"  
  
***  
  
"You're quitting?"  
  
Luna nodded. "Yessir."  
  
"You CAN'T quit now! It's our busy time!" (B17)   
  
"Sorry, sir."  
  
The manager sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's your  
  
other job, isn't it, Luna? I've told you to quit it!"  
  
"Can't, sir. 'S my destiny. You know." She didn't elabourate.  
  
"So you keep saying. Is it really that important?"  
  
Luna shrugged, handing in her keys. "Fate of the world, sir.  
  
Maybe I'll see you again."  
  
Tugging on her short waitress's skirt, she walked out the door.  
  
***  
  
Homen was scared.  
  
Not that he didn't have reason to be. Last night, a dark shadow  
  
had flown over, huge and frightening. A dragon.   
  
He clutched the ruby necklace to his chest. "They can't find us!"  
  
he whispered, frightened. "I just got 'ya, I can't let ya go yet!"  
  
It glinted.  
  
Suddenly, he was calm again. "I'll just stick to the woods. They  
  
won't be able to see me with all the cover."  
  
***  
  
Nakoku squeaked, "We're stopping HERE?!"  
  
Tapping her foot impatiently, Lina sighed. "Do you SEE a handy  
  
inn nearby? NO! Neither do I! Don't tell me you haven't slept outside  
  
before!"  
  
"It's not that," he quavered. "I get horrible nightmares when  
  
I sleep around other people, remember?"  
  
"Deal, kid. Sorry, but everyone gets nightmares."  
  
"I--"  
  
Amelia shook her head. "It's no use arguing with Lina-san when  
  
she's in this mood," she whispered. "Just go along with it."  
  
"But--" Nakoku suddenly thought of something. "I'll just  
  
sleep off by myself in the woods!"  
  
Somewhere in the woods, a troll howled.  
  
"I'll be okay..." Nakoku said uncertainly.  
  
Gourry slapped his fist. "I won't allow a child to sleep off  
  
in the woods alone! I won't!"  
  
"But--" Nakoku began.  
  
"But N-kun is not a normal child, is he?" Xelloss said slyly.  
  
Sweating, Nakoku backed away, stunned look on his face. "What  
  
do you mean? Of COURSE I'm a normal child!"  
  
"Oh?" Xelloss asked. "Then you've got no worries staying with  
  
our group, do you? Surely nightmares are worth it when the other   
  
choice is the trolls in the woods."  
  
Nakoku panicked, then broke into tears. "WAAAAHHHH! He's  
  
being so mean to me! I don't wanna have nightmares!"  
  
Amelia hugged the child. "It's okay. We'll not let him  
  
tease you any more, okay, N-kun?"  
  
Nakoku sniffled.  
  
Smiling, Guntair patted him on the head. "Don't worry, kid.  
  
We'll protect you." Brushing his bangs out of his eyes, the Ryuzoku  
  
hesitated. "Hey, you don't... smell normal."  
  
Oh no! Nakoku wailed mentally. "It's been a long time since  
  
I've had a bath! I'm sorry!"  
  
"No... that's not what I meant..." Guntair hesitated. "Never  
  
mind. I'm probably mistaken."  
  
Xelloss chuckled. "Ne, Gun-kun, which do you trust more, your  
  
nose or your eyes?"  
  
"Well... my eyes, I guess."  
  
"Sou? Perhaps that's the right thing," Xelloss allowed, smiling.  
  
Lina sighed. "Enough with your riddles. What are you trying to  
  
tell us, Xelloss?"  
  
"Tell you?" Xelloss looked surprised. "Why should I be trying  
  
to tell you anything? We'd better pitch camp, it's getting dark."  
  
Glancing up, the child realized it was, indeed, getting dark.  
  
"Ok," he sighed. "I'll tell you."  
  
"Huh?" Amelia said.  
  
"I... I'm under a curse," he whispered. "Every night, it...  
  
transforms me. I don't like it, so I'm looking for a cure. The next  
  
big city on my road is Zefilia. That's all, I wasn't lying about  
  
anything else!" He blinked his big eyes, using this form to his  
  
advantage. "Honest!"  
  
Sitting down in front of him, Lina asked suspiciously, "What  
  
KIND of a transformation?"  
  
The moon came out.  
  
As it shone down on Nakoku, he felt the change that was so commonplace  
  
to him now. His whole body lengthened, almost uncomfortably, his white  
  
child's tunic changing into a black leather body sheathe. He fought down  
  
the relief he felt every night at successfully finding himself again  
  
and remembered to act. Pouting widely, he fell to his knees. "This!"  
  
he wailed. "Isn't it TERRIBLE?!"  
  
Lina blinked. "Well... no. Actually, you're sort of bishounen.  
  
I was expecting something more, well, monsterous."  
  
Nakoku batted his eyes at her. "Really? You think I'm bishounen?"  
  
"Jeez, don't tell me you turn into a normal adolescent in OTHER  
  
respects too."  
  
"But LOOK at me!" he wailed. "Black leather! Evilly glowing green  
  
eyes! Mouth that can't stop smirking! I look like a VILLAIN!"  
  
"He has a point," Amelia admitted.  
  
Laughing, Lina shook her head. "You had me worried there for a minute,  
  
N-kun! It's what's inside that makes you villainous or not... and even  
  
what most people call a villain isn't! Most of US have been on wanted   
  
posters at one time or another."  
  
"You have?" This innocent game was really getting old, Nakoku grumbled  
  
mentally.  
  
"Mm-hmm. Actually, I think the MOST villainous one of us hasn't ever  
  
been!"  
  
Xelloss blinked. "Who, me?"  
  
"But... but... I don't like it! WAAAAHHHHHH!" Nakoku broke into  
  
a wail of tears that fountained out around him.  
  
Zelgadis had made his bedroll and was crawling into it. "Are we  
  
quite finished with these needless dramatics?" he asked, bored.  
  
Sniffling, Nakoku nodded.  
  
Off to one side, Xelloss was laughing. "N-kun," he chuckled,  
  
head resting on a fist, "lying is a skill that takes years to cultivate.  
  
Ordinary teenage boys don't have it."  
  
"What do you mean? He's so mean to me!!!!" Nakoku wailed again.  
  
The whole camp turned on Xelloss, picking up various heavy objects.  
  
"Stop picking on him!" Amelia demanded.  
  
"At this rate, we'll never get to sleep!" Lina added.  
  
***  
  
Xelloss waited until they were asleep to contact his mistress.  
  
He wanted his attention free.  
  
//Xellas-sama?//  
  
A pause, then she answered. //Yes, Xelloss? Any news?//  
  
//I have continued to feel our Master's presence every night,  
  
mainly contacting Lina, noticably. She has also been using his   
  
Power much more frequently. I believe progress is being made.//  
  
//Good.//  
  
//Thought you'd like that!// Xelloss sent her a mental grin,  
  
and she grinned back. //He's also been causing some disturbance  
  
in the sleep patterns of the others... nothing big, I think.//  
  
//I have been working with the presence inside her now to  
  
slowly wear away Amelia.// Xellas told him.  
  
//Working?//  
  
//It's very fun, really.//  
  
//Great! Wish I could join in!//  
  
//Me too, but it would draw her attention. Anything else?//  
  
//We have been joined by one of Hers.//  
  
A long pause now. //I see.//  
  
//I don't think he knows it, though.//  
  
//That's just like Her. Well, we'll see. Nothing we can do  
  
against that one. We'll just play the hand we have, and bluff if  
  
necessary.//  
  
//As always.//  
  
//Yes, Xelloss. As always. And how is your chimera?//  
  
//That's the odd part. He's been having nightmares as well,  
  
but I don't think He has done anything there yet. Don't really  
  
understand it.//  
  
A sense that Xellas had shifted. //I don't suppose it could  
  
just be spillover?//  
  
//Probably.//  
  
//Have you checked it out?//  
  
//Not yet,// Xelloss hedged.  
  
//Xelloss? Don't get your emotions confused with your duty.//  
  
//I know, Xellas-sama. Don't worry, I'm no longer that young.//  
  
Chuckle. //That's good. Keep in contact.// She broke the mind-jioning.  
  
Xelloss lay back. "Not that young," he murmured aloud. "I'm  
  
just waiting until a better time."  
  
***  
  
//"Hello, Lina."  
  
Lina didn't turn. "You again."  
  
"You're surprised?"  
  
"Frankly, no."  
  
He laughed. "That's good."  
  
"I just don't want you here. What is it I did last time(?),"  
  
she wondered aloud. "Oh yeah. Cepheed. Cepheed Cepheed."  
  
"What makes you think that attracting his attention would  
  
be any better?" Shabrinigido asked her.  
  
"Just a guess? Cepheed! Here, Cepheed! Good dragon god!"(w2)  
  
Suddenly, another woman's voice was there. "Hey, Lina."  
  
"Who are YOU?" Lina demanded.  
  
"Don't want to say just yet. I'm just here to get you out."  
  
Shabrinigido was looking mad now. "I don't recall inviting  
  
you."  
  
"Naw, but she did by default. You know, delegation of authority  
  
and all that. Hold on, Lina, I'm just booting you into a nicer dream  
  
for a moment."  
  
"But I--"  
  
MMmm... food... food everywhere... Lina began salivating.//  
  
***  
  
"You should not be here," he told her sternly.  
  
Luna shook her head, sighing. "You know, Shabby, you're going  
  
about this the entirely wrong way."  
  
He crossed his arms, unamused, shoulder pads growing spikes  
  
as the dreamworld took his displeasure and made it visible. "I don't  
  
recall asking for advice from YOU."  
  
The Knight of Cepheed snorted. "You should, though. I know  
  
my little sister, and I know that the thing she HATES is getting people  
  
trying to seduce her, mentally or physically. It's a childhood thing."  
  
Shabrinigido bowed sarcastically. "And what do YOU suggest?"  
  
"Just offer her the power. It gets more attractive the less  
  
words come with it." Luna shrugged. "I figure, since she's basically  
  
had the world offered to her before by the Lord of Nightmares, it  
  
can only be LESS attractive when offered by, frankly, a lesser god."  
  
For a moment, the dark lord didn't seem to know whether to  
  
laugh or get angry, then he shook his head. "And why should I believe  
  
you'd help me?"  
  
"Believe it or not, Cephy isn't as mad at you as you are at him.  
  
His kids are, of course, but they're like that. After all, I'm the  
  
only one who can pass on his messages, and a lot of them don't wanna  
  
listen to a human." Luna waved a hand slightly, and a waiter's tray  
  
appeared in it. "Being a Knight doesn't pay the bills, but it's what  
  
I am. And Lina is your Knight... but she doesn't wanna accept it. You're  
  
not helping that. Apologize to her."  
  
Shabrinigido shifted to his Mazoku form, looming over her. "You  
  
expect ME to apologize to a human?!"  
  
Luna wasn't fazed. "Look, Shabby, you're not going to help   
  
along the rest of the world for another few years. You're partly dead.   
  
Cephy's in a coma. And both of you are needed for the whole end of   
  
world bit, unless Lina gets really pissed and miscasts the Giga Slave.   
  
So you might wanna cut your losses and get on her side, because chances  
  
are it's gonna be the winning one."  
  
Teeth clicking together, Shabrinigido seemed to be considering  
  
this. "Why did you come? Why not Cepheed himself, if he's so  
  
forgiving of the past?"  
  
"Cephy's not too strong right now. And you yourself couldn't  
  
have done this until a little while ago. Maybe another time." Luna  
  
rearranged things on her serving tray. "You could do dinner some  
  
time. I know some nice places."  
  
"Mazoku don't--"  
  
Luna shrugged. "I tried! Anyway, think about it, 'kay?"   
  
Suddenly, she was gone.  
  
Shabrinigido frowned, as much as he could, then returned  
  
most of his conciousness back to his current resting place.  
  
***  
  
//"Amelia."  
  
Amelia looked around. Not again. Please, please, not again.  
  
"Think about it. Every time he is injured, think about it.  
  
Think of your love for him."  
  
The shaman blinked. This was a new refrain. "Hey, are you  
  
the same person?"  
  
Pause. "Always. Just think, Amelia. Consider the offer."  
  
"I will."//  
  
***   
  
//"Lina?" Gourry looked around. Funny, he was SURE Lina had  
  
been there just a minute ago.  
  
"What do you want?"   
  
He looked up. She was floating above him, cloak and hair  
  
flying in the wind. Her eyes were glowing red. "Woah, Lina, it's  
  
a new look for you... I like it though..."  
  
"Do you want me, Gourry?" Lina smiled, eyes narrowing sweetly.  
  
He blushed. "I... I mean... Lina... You... I..."  
  
"Too bad, Gourry." Her hands raised, and in them was pure  
  
fire. "Too bad. I don't want you."  
  
Stunned, Gourry watched the flame rush towards him.//  
  
***  
  
Guntair rolled over in his sleep, murmuring Amelia's name.  
  
//"Amelia..."  
  
Sleepily, she smiled up at him. "Hey, Gun."  
  
"I love you."  
  
One of her small, almost child-like hands caressed his face.  
  
"I know. I love you too."  
  
Her eyes were blue. No, they were violet. Wait... now they  
  
were red. Guntair frowned. "Amelia? Why are your eyes doing that?"  
  
Violet. "Doing what?"  
  
Blue. "Changing colours?"  
  
And red. "I don't want to lie to you Gun... but I don't know."  
  
Guntair was shaking. Something was wrong here. "There's something  
  
not right..."  
  
"Does it matter?" Blue. "I'm still me." (B18)  
  
Uncertainly, he pulled her close again, burying his face in her  
  
shoulder, not wanting to look at those eyes any more. "I know."//  
  
***  
  
//"Hey, Xel, whatcha doing?"  
  
The younger Mazoku held a finger up to his lips. "Shh... you'll  
  
scare it away."  
  
Xerinier peered around at the butterfly Xelloss was stalking.  
  
"Pretty thing."  
  
"Look at the eyes on its wings." Purple, like their own. "Isn't  
  
it just perfect?"  
  
Suddenly, Xelloss dived, coming up with something inside his  
  
hands. "Got it! It's struggling, but I have it!"  
  
"Rub the stuff on its wings off," Xer advised. "It won't be  
  
able to fly away, then."  
  
"I thought that was moths."  
  
"Try anyway."  
  
Xelloss shrugged and complied. "Damn!"  
  
"What? What?" Xer demanded.  
  
"Ripped it!"  
  
Xer shrugged. "Useless now, let it go." Silently, they watched  
  
it flop on the ground. "You can always find another," Xer pointed out.  
  
"That was the first one I'd found, but..." Xelloss trailed out.  
  
"Anyway, wanna play a game?"  
  
Suddenly, Xer remembered what he'd come out for. "Papa's looking  
  
for you."  
  
Immediatly, Xelloss stood. "You waited this long? I can't  
  
keep him waiting."  
  
"Hey, maybe you should show him what you're made of," Xer joked.  
  
"One, two, and he'll be obeying your orders!"  
  
Xelloss closed his eyes, then opened them as he tripped over a  
  
root, phazing out before he hit the ground. "Gotta practice that," he  
  
muttered, before turning back to Xer. "If I do that, though, he really  
  
WILL see what I'm made of... inside!"  
  
"Where the hell's that namagomi?!"  
  
"I can't believe you let him call you that," Xer whispered.  
  
"Do I have a choice? Anyway... it's better than some things  
  
he could call me."  
  
Their father came into view. "You're never around when I want  
  
you! Haven't you learned enough yet?"  
  
"Yes, Papa."  
  
"Yes you haven't?" Their father laughed slyly. "Well, I'll just   
  
have to show you!"  
  
"Yes, Papa."//  
  
***  
  
The spirit watched that chimera toss in its sleep. Xelloss had  
  
moved over beside it and was watching it sleep.  
  
'Invade its dreams!' the spirit urged, but Xelloss did nothing.  
  
'Damn, it's like I do this for no reason.'  
  
Was he going to be subservient his whole life? The spirit had  
  
decided not. And the spirit was going to have his way.  
  
'It just takes time and patience.'  
  
***  
  
//"Hey, Cephy."  
  
At his name, the tall man turned gracefully, large feathered  
  
wings somehow adding to his balance instead of hindering it. "Luna!"  
  
he exclaimed. "A pleasure like always." He brushed his long white  
  
hair out of his eyes.  
  
For some reason, in the dreamworld, the only place he could  
  
dwell for now, Cepheed always appeared in his half-ryuu form. "Any  
  
news?"  
  
Luna smiled, serving Cepheed some ice water. He needed no  
  
sustinence in this world, but it was just something she always did.  
  
"I was just talking to someone."  
  
"Whom?"  
  
"Guess."  
  
Smiling, the Ryuzoku lord seemed to consider. "Your sister  
  
called me. Her?"  
  
"Only briefly, not the one I meant. Guess again."  
  
"That Mazoku friend of yours? Whatever her name is?"  
  
"Close. Think bigger. Guess again."  
  
Cepheed's eyes widened. "You're kidding. Him? And he  
  
let you talk?"  
  
"No choice. Lina's dreammaking."  
  
Whistling, Cepheed shook his head. "How was he?"  
  
"Touchy," Luna shrugged.  
  
"Same as always, then. Say anything interesting?"  
  
Luna sat down in front of her Master. "He was upset you hadn't  
  
come instead of me."  
  
"I--"  
  
"Yeah, I told him. Didn't listen."  
  
Cepheed sighed. "He never does."   
  
Luna smirked. "I can tell. Anyway, I told him that he wasn't  
  
gonna win over Lina with seduction, yada yada. Upshot? He probably  
  
won't do it, but he might think about it. He is getting stronger  
  
though."  
  
"How's the trip going?"  
  
"I gotta stop to make a little money, you know. Just 'cause  
  
I'm your Knight, people don't stop and give me free food, Cephy."  
  
"Slowly, then?"  
  
"I'll get there before Shabby's managed to get resurrected,"  
  
Luna shrugged.   
  
"You hope."  
  
"Gettin' to know me too well," Luna laughed. "Yeah, but it's  
  
as fast as I can go without actual teleportation."  
  
Cepheed smiled. "Besides, you want to run into your sister."  
  
"That too." Luna looked around. "Sorry, Cephy, gotta wake  
  
up now. Bye!"  
  
He wiggled his fingers in farewell at her, and she vanished.//  
  
***  
  
//Gold. Gold above him. Gold below him. Gold around him.  
  
"Mother?"  
  
'I'm Right Here, Nakoku.'  
  
Gold.//  
  
***  
  
"Xelloss," Zelgadis murmured, shifting uncomfortably in his  
  
sleep.   
  
What do you dream of? Xelloss wondered, caressing his chimera's  
  
face. Me? You stink of fear. I could find out why, but...  
  
Not yet.   
  
Maybe I'll even ask you before I do.  
  
But not yet.  
  
What is it like, to sleep? Second-hand experience tells me nothing.  
  
Is it different to you?   
  
Even nightmares... fresh and new? The past, the future, or just  
  
an imagining?  
  
What about me is scaring him?  
  
Or should it be, what isn't?  
  
***  
  
"Right!" Lina said, feeling refreshed from her sleep. Bleary eyes  
  
blinked at her. "So, who has the map?"  
  
Nobody moved.  
  
"I asked, who has the map?"  
  
Slowly, Gourry raised a hand. "Ano... Lina?"  
  
"Yeah, what is it?"  
  
"I, uh, tore it up in my sleep."  
  
"YOU WHAT?!"  
  
Gourry flinched. "I tore it up in my--"  
  
"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME, YOU IDIOT!" Lina slapped her head.  
  
"Now what?!"  
  
Quietly, Zelgadis spoke up. "I can guide you."  
  
"Of all the... what?"  
  
The chimera looked uncomfortable. "I can guide you. I used  
  
to live around here."  
  
"Great! And we can drop in to see your family as well!" Amelia  
  
exclaimed. "I can't wait to meet your family."  
  
"Why not?" Zelgadis said bluntly. "The one you met wasn't too  
  
pleasant."  
  
"Well, no, but that was just Rezo..."  
  
Lina grinned, packing her bag. "They can't all be that psychotic,  
  
right?"  
  
"Don't bet on it," Zelgadis muttered.  
  
Xelloss put an arm around his shoulders. "Aw, but I WANT to meet  
  
your family, honey pie!"  
  
"Don't call me that," the chimera growled warningly.  
  
"You met Xellas-sama, who I GUESS you could call my family, so  
  
it's only fair," the priest told him, smiling.  
  
N-kun seemed uncertain, child's face serious. "You sure we should  
  
stop? I've GOT to get going to Zefilia!"  
  
"What are you doing there?" Lina asked. "Why Zefilia?"  
  
"Dunno yet. Find out when I get there."  
  
They nodded, not asking.   
  
Amelia hesitated. "Xelloss-san? Why do you keep calling Zelgadis-san  
  
that?"  
  
"Calling him what?" Xelloss asked innocently.  
  
"You know... that name..."  
  
"Zelgadis? It's his name."  
  
"No... the nickname..."  
  
"Zel?" Xelloss seemed even sweeter. "It's a short form,  
  
Amelia-chan!"  
  
Amelia coughed. "No... your... uh... 'honey-pie'?"  
  
"Oh, THAT name!" Xelloss smiled. "But isn't it so cute?!"  
  
Zelgadis raised his hands warningly, light growing in them.   
  
"That's it, you die."  
  
"You're being hasty again, honey pie!"  
  
"ELMEKIA LANCE!"  
  
From the far side of the clearing, Xelloss coughed up smoke.  
  
"THAT's why, Amelia... 'scuse me while I go all dazed and stuff... mmm..."  
  
"Guntair-san?" Nakoku asked, tugging on the Ryuzoku's pants. "Are  
  
all Mazoku that sick?"  
  
"Yes, N-kun. At the very least." Unaccountably, Guntair was blushing.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Lina brushed off her hands. "Right! Someone pick up the stupid  
  
Mazoku so we can get back on our way!"  
  
***  
  
Amelia frowned. "Ne, Zelgadis-san, shouldn't Xelloss-san have come  
  
back to his senses yet?"  
  
"I don't know," Zelgadis admitted, carrying the priest, who was twitching.  
  
"Elmekia Lance is a very strong spell."  
  
Suddenly, Xelloss opened his eyes, winking quickly at Amelia. He flashed  
  
a quick victory sign. "Ne, Zel! You're carrying me! That's so sweet!"  
  
Zelgadis snorted. "Whatever."  
  
"It's adorable, really!"  
  
Rolling his eyes, the chimera considered dropping him. "What has  
  
gotten INTO you today?!"  
  
"It's actually a question of what HASN'T--" Xelloss began. Zelgadis  
  
made his decision and dropped him.  
  
Nakoku looked at Guntair, worried. "Would you like my handkerchief?  
  
That nosebleed's fairly nasty."  
  
"No.. id's ogay..."  
  
Behind them, Xelloss and Zelgadis were still arguing. "Xelloss,  
  
stop hanging off my legs! We're trying to go somewhere here!"  
  
"So am I!" Xelloss smiled.  
  
"Hands off the legs!"  
  
"Where would you like them instead?"  
  
Guntair tilted his head back. "Agtually, yes blease."  
  
"Don't make me hurt you!"  
  
"Why not?" Xelloss was laughing.  
  
Nakoku looked around. "Somebody help! I think Guntair's   
  
going to faint from blood loss!"  
  
"No... I'm okay... really..." Guntair's head bounced as it hit  
  
the ground.  
  
Once the group had revived Guntair and stopped the squabbling  
  
with a couple of fireballs from Lina, which sent Xelloss back into a  
  
catatonic state, they got moving again.  
  
***  
  
"Zelgadis, it's your house. You knock."  
  
"My hands are full."  
  
"Guys, Guntair's got another nosebleed!"  
  
"It's still your house, Zel, you knock."  
  
"I don't WANT to knock!"  
  
"Zelgadis-san! Are you embarrassed?"  
  
"Look at me, I'm scaly! Of course I'm embarrassed!" (B19)  
  
"Well, knock anyway!"  
  
"Do I have to?"  
  
"This is insane!" Lina declared.  
  
Xelloss nodded, obviously having been awake for a while  
  
but pretending. "Okay." he hopped out of Zelgadis's arms.  
  
"I'll knock!"  
  
"NO! WA--"  
  
Knock. Knock. Knock. The sound reverberated around the courtyard  
  
of the huge mansion.  
  
Zelgadis sweated. "I'm doomed."  
  
The huge door swung open and a tiny woman with the same bouncy hair  
  
as Zelgadis peered out. "Zel-chan? Is that you? ZEL-CHAN!"  
  
The chimera gasped for air as his mother enveloped him in a bear  
  
hug that would make a warrior envious. "Hi... mom..."  
  
"Oh, and you brought friends!" Fast enough that they couldn't  
  
avoid it, she gave them the same treatment, one after another. "This  
  
is wonderful!"  
  
"...yeah," Zelgadis agreed, trying to hide behind his hair.  
  
His mother peered at him. "Ne, Zel-chan, haven't you been bathing  
  
regularly? Your skin is... flaky."  
  
"No, mom, I was cursed by Grandad. So I ran away from home. You  
  
remember?"  
  
She put on a lecturing pose. "I remember your running away, young  
  
man, and don't think I've forgiven you yet!"  
  
Zelgadis sighed and hung his head. Then there was the OTHER reason  
  
he'd run away... "Yes, mom."  
  
His mother was suddenly perky again. "So, introduce me to your  
  
friends!"  
  
"Uh... mom? Can we come in first?"  
  
"Oh, of course!" As unstoppable as a tidal wave, his mother   
  
ushered them in. "I'm Serin Graywers, Zel-chan's mommy, of course,  
  
and I'm SO glad he's finally brought friends home..."  
  
Under cover of her chatter, Xelloss leaned over and whispered,  
  
"What a friendly lady."  
  
"You could call her that."  
  
"I'd be being generous, but I could."  
  
Serin led them into the spacious reception room. "So, now that  
  
we're in the nice, warm, house," she indicated the drafty room with  
  
a wave of her hand. A gust of wind put out a torch on the wall, "why  
  
don't you all introduce youselves?"  
  
A long silence. Gourry hid behind Lina. "You're the leader,  
  
you go first!"  
  
"Uh..." Lina pulled Amelia forward. "You're a princess! You  
  
go first!"  
  
Desperately, Amelia grabbed N-kun and held him in front of her  
  
like a shield. "You're the youngest! You go first!"  
  
Nakoku squirmed out of her grasp and scampered behind Guntair.  
  
"You're a dragon! You go first!"  
  
Guntair sweated as Serin turned to look at him. "Uh..."  
  
Xelloss stepped forward and took the woman's hand, smiling.  
  
"Hello, Lady Serin! I'm Xelloss Metallium, a very, very, very,   
  
very, very, very--"  
  
Kicking him in the shin, Zelgadis whispered, "Just get on  
  
with it!"  
  
"--very good friend of your son's," Xelloss finished, shaking  
  
her hand rapidly. "And I am incredably honoured to meet such a  
  
beautiful young woman! Oh, and how surprised I was to learn that  
  
you were Zel's MOTHER! You must be kidding, surely someone so young  
  
and pretty MUST be his sister, his YOUNGER sister even!"  
  
Serin giggled. "Oh, you! But you MUST stop, I'm a married  
  
woman!"  
  
Still smiling, Xelloss fell back, hand over his heart. "Ah,  
  
such a pity! I shall have to find someone else, but it could never  
  
be the same after meeting you, Lady Serin!"  
  
Giggling, Serin leaned over towards Zelgadis, who seemed stuck  
  
in face-fault. "I LIKE this one," she stage-whispered.  
  
Clapping her hands together, Serin turned towards the others.  
  
"Now, obviously if you've all come so far, one of you must be Zel-chan's  
  
girlfriend. Now, which are you?"  
  
Silence. They shifted nervously.  
  
"Now, let's see... the blond woman, isn't it?"  
  
Gourry looked around then pointed at himself in disbelief.  
  
"Me?! I'm a guy!!!"  
  
Serin peered at him. "You must be kidding, right, miss?"  
  
Zelgadis shook his head. "Mom, that's a guy. Listen to his  
  
voice, if you don't believe me."  
  
"I just thought that she has a cold. Hmmm..." Serin lowered  
  
her gaze to his pants. "You're right, he's a guy."  
  
Blushing, Gourry tried even harder to hide behind Lina. "I...  
  
I'm Gourry... I'm a swordsman..."  
  
Serin giggled again. "I can tell... oh, you'll have a wonderful  
  
time talking to Gery!" In a whisper to the others, she added, "Gery's  
  
Zel-chan's daddy." She turned back to Gourry. "He's a retired   
  
swordsman, you know."  
  
"N... no, I didn't..."  
  
Her attention was immediatly torn away again. "Let's see...  
  
The red-head! She looks very active... Zel-chan likes active women..."  
  
A quick glance at the chimera showed him clearly trying to will  
  
himself to death.  
  
Lina laughed, not too sure how to deal with this woman. "No,  
  
actually, I'm not Zelgadis's girlfriend... I'm happily single, thank  
  
you... I'm Lina Inverse."  
  
Horror etched itself onto Serin's face. "You mean... the   
  
abominable sorceress Lina Inverse?!"  
  
Lina twitched. "I'm... not... abominable," she said, smiling  
  
through gritted teeth.  
  
"Oh, if you say so, dear." Serin was back to her perky self.  
  
"So that leaves... her!"  
  
Amelia's eyes widened and she blushed widely. "I'm actually  
  
Guntair's girlfriend," she said, attaching herself to the dragon's  
  
arm. "Right, Guntair?"  
  
"Yeah! Yeah!" he yelped as she cut off his circulation. "You  
  
are!"  
  
Serin frowned. "You mean you haven't brought home a girlfriend?"  
  
"No, mom," Zelgadis said softly, giving up on willing himself  
  
to death and trying to make the floor swallow him instead.   
  
"Oh dear, this is bad," Serin murmured. "Your father won't  
  
be pleased." In a stage whisper, she informed the others, "Gery  
  
thinks Zel-chan's a pansy."  
  
Now Zelgadis had forgotten the floor and was simply trying to  
  
disappear.  
  
"So," Serin said, switching emotions with a speed to make  
  
flying fishmen proud, "who are you, young miss?"  
  
Amelia sweated. "I'm... Amelia. Call me Amelia!"  
  
"A pleasure to meet you, Amelia! Perhaps you two young  
  
ladies can help me in the kitchen later?"  
  
They made uncertain noises until she turned her gaze on   
  
Guntair. "So you are that young lady's boyfriend?"  
  
"Uh.. yeah."  
  
"Do you treat her right? You look like a rough fellow!"  
  
Guntair blinked. "Me? Rough?"  
  
"I hope you aren't abusive!"  
  
"NO! Of course not! I love her a lot!"  
  
"That's nice, dear," Serin smiled. Nakoku cringed as her  
  
gaze travelled to him. "Oh no! Don't tell me this is your child!  
  
Are you two even married?!"  
  
Amelia blushed brightly. "He's not ours! He's just travelling  
  
with us!"  
  
"Good! A child his age shouldn't be travelling alone!" She   
  
smiled at Nakoku. "And what's your name, little boy?"  
  
"I'm N-kun..."  
  
"What a CUTE name!" Serin gushed. Suddenly, the door from the  
  
next room swung open.  
  
"WOMAN! What are you doing, making all this racket?!"  
  
"Look, dear, Zel-chan's home!"  
  
The travellers looked up... and up... Zelgadis certainly  
  
didn't get his height -- or lack thereof -- from his father. And   
  
not only was he tall... he was brawny.  
  
Xelloss whistled softly. "There's a good fighter."  
  
Then Gery belched. "Gods, ZELgardis, you've certainly been  
  
away a long time! Making a REAL man out of yourself, I hope? Gods,  
  
I hope that this MONSTER isn't the thing that calls itself our son!"  
  
Zelgadis sighed. "Hello, father. Rezo cursed me."  
  
"Good for him, good for him," Gery harumphed. "By the way,  
  
have you seen Rezo lately? He hasn't been by for a while."  
  
"Yes, actually."  
  
"Doing well?"  
  
"We killed him. Twice."  
  
"The stupid priest pro'ly deserved it. I still think that   
  
magic in the family leads to defects."  
  
Lina shifted angrily but didn't say anything.  
  
"So, I hope you brought back a woman for yourself?"  
  
"No, father."  
  
Gery snorted in disgust. "Why am I not surprised? So neither  
  
of these women are yours?" He gave Lina and Amelia a cursory inspection.  
  
"Gods, they're wearing breeches! Din't anyone ever tell you two that   
  
it's a woman's place to wear skirts and stay in the kitchen?!"  
  
Amelia sweated. "Uh.. no... sir!"  
  
Lina crossed her arms. "I'd like to, but there's work that has  
  
to be done."  
  
"None of that, woman!" Gery roared. "In MY house, a woman  
  
does only housework! You unnerstand?"  
  
Serin giggled and laid a hand on her husband's arm. "Oh, you!  
  
They're guests, they're not going to be doing any work! Besides, we've  
  
got servants to do that!"  
  
"It's still 'mproper!" Gery insisted.  
  
Xelloss snickered, leaning towards Zelgadis. Imitating Serin's  
  
voice, he murmured, "I LIKE this one."  
  
"You! Did you just talk back to me?"  
  
"Don't bait him," Zelgadis warned quietly, but the smile on  
  
Xelloss's face told him he might not have bothered.  
  
"Me? Talk back? Yes, that was me," Xelloss said, smiling  
  
brightly. "Do you want me to do it again?"  
  
Gery walked up to the Mazoku and gave him a quick once over.  
  
"He looks fey," he said in disgust. "I'm not havin' no fey boys  
  
stayin' in my house."  
  
"Oh, didn't your wife tell you that I'm terribly enamoured  
  
with her and want her to run away with me after a whirlwind romance?"  
  
Xelloss asked mildly.  
  
"WHAAAT?!"  
  
Serin giggled yet again. "Oh, don't worry about him, dear. Why  
  
would I run off with him, when I have you?"  
  
"He tried to take you away from me?!" Gery was beginning to turn  
  
red with anger. "I oughta--"  
  
"Oh, don't, dear! Your heart!"  
  
"But Lady Serin," Xelloss sighed. "Don't you want a demon  
  
lover?"  
  
Zelgadis covered his eyes with his hand. "Let me just die now,"  
  
he said faintly.  
  
"A demon?" Lady Serin gasped, going pale. "Oh, my!"  
  
Gery snorted. "Demon? There's no such thing as demons! Only  
  
a pansy would need to make such a thing up to protect himself!"  
  
Xelloss opened his eyes and his smile darkened. "I beg to   
  
differ, there are indeed such things as demons." (B20)  
  
Serin put a hand to her forehead. "Oh, I think I'm going to  
  
faint!"  
  
Sweating, Guntair slapped Xelloss across the side of the head  
  
with the flat of his sword. "You'll have to forgive him, Sir Gery,  
  
he was dropped on his head a few too many times as a baby and is a   
  
little... you know..." Guntair spun his finger beside his ear.  
  
Bored with the last game and wanting to move on to a new one,  
  
Xelloss smiled at a plaster bust on the wall. "Oh, lady! How   
  
beautiful you are! Surely just one kiss..."  
  
"See," Guntair said, sweating even more strongly.  
  
Gery nodded, warily. "I see. A room away from everyone else,  
  
then."  
  
Xelloss hugged a coat-rack. "Beautiful lady!"  
  
Harumphing, Gery turned to his wife. "Well, woman, are you  
  
going to stand there, or are you going to show them to their rooms?"  
  
"Oh, yes! We kept your room just the way it was, Zel-chan!"  
  
Serin exclaimed, recovering in record time.  
  
Grinning widely, Xelloss gave Amelia a huge hug, burying  
  
his face in her busom. "Oh, my love! What large--"  
  
Teeth bared in something resembling a grin, Guntair backhanded  
  
Xelloss into the far wall.  
  
***  
  
"See?" Serin said triumphantly. "Isn't his room ADORABLE?!"  
  
A long silence. "It's so... cute!" Amelia exclaimed.  
  
His bedsheets had puppy dogs on them. Posters of famous heros  
  
adorned the walls. The carpet was fluffy.  
  
Zelgadis groaned and sunk to the floor. "Really... mom... you  
  
didn't need to keep my room EXACTLY the same..."  
  
Wandering past into the room, Xelloss picked up a book left on  
  
the bed. "How to be a Hero in Three Easy Lessons," he read. Briefly,  
  
he raised an eyebrow at the book, then gave it a hug. "My lady, my  
  
love! How your..."  
  
Pouting at Zelgadis, Serin said, "But Zel-chan, it was the only  
  
thing of you we had LEFT! We had to keep it!"  
  
Guntair stopped snickering as Amelia elbowed him.  
  
A whistling noise sprung up from somewhere downstairs, and Serin  
  
headed for the stairs. "That's the tea! Be up with it in a minute!!"  
  
As soon as she was gone, Xelloss stopped embracing the book,  
  
sat on Zelgadis's bed, and opened it to page one. "Interesting reading  
  
material, Zel."  
  
Zelgadis sighed. "Father gave it to me."  
  
"Ah. Explains everything."  
  
"Zelgadis!" Lina exclaimed. "I never expected your room to be   
  
so..."  
  
"One comment about the room and I blow this whole place up,  
  
okay?"  
  
"... Okay."  
  
Serin's voice floated up from downstairs. "Tea's ready! Come  
  
and have some and then I'll show the rest of you to your rooms!"  
  
***  
  
The excitable old woman smiled at them. "So... Lina-chan, what  
  
do you do for a living?"  
  
Lina stared into her tea cup. "Well, mainly I wipe out bandit  
  
holdings and steal their treasure, but sometimes I save the world.  
  
The latter doesn't put food on the table, though."  
  
"How fun! Do you enjoy your work?"  
  
Slowly, Lina realized that Serin only listened to half of what  
  
she was saying. "I wouldn't say ENJOY, but listening to bandits  
  
scream and plead for their lives is sort of thrilling."  
  
"That's nice, dear. And you, Xelloss-san, what do YOU do?"  
  
Xelloss smiled brightly. "Mainly I hinder people, spy, kill,  
  
and work with my entire race's goal, which is to bring about the end  
  
of the world as you normal mortals know it."  
  
"Sounds like interesting work!" Serin gushed. "Does that mean  
  
you're self-employed?"  
  
"No, actually, I work for one of the five dark generals under  
  
Ruby-Eyed Shabrinigido. She likes to chase living creatures, make  
  
them offer anything for their survival, then kill them anyway."  
  
"How wonderful!" Serin turned to Amelia. "What about you,  
  
dear? Do you want to be a housewife?"  
  
Amelia jumped to her feet and posed. "I am a champion of justice!"  
  
"Hard work?"  
  
"These days, yeah."  
  
Serin smiled at her and Lina. "Would you two like to help me   
  
make dinner?"  
  
What could they say. "Um, okay," Ameila agreed uncertianly.  
  
"Why not?" Lina shrugged.  
  
Nervously, Guntair leaned over to Amelia. "Say... have you  
  
ever cooked before?"  
  
"Sometimes... well, I try..."  
  
He sweated. "I... see."  
  
Clapping her hands together excitedly, Serin took their unfinished  
  
tea away from them and swept them to their feet. "I'll just show you  
  
to your rooms and then we girls can get cooking!"  
  
***  
  
Guntair poked at the burned thing in front of him with a fork.  
  
"Ano... what IS it?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"It's chicken... chicken... chicken something!" Amelia said   
  
proudly. "The rest didn't turn out but Serin-san saved the best  
  
so you could try it!"  
  
He forced a smile. "Great! I'm... honoured."  
  
Gourry stuck his spoon into his soup and tried to lift it again.  
  
It stuck there. Pulling hard, he managed to detach the spoon, but   
  
couldn't get the soup off the spoon in his mouth. "It's really good,"  
  
he lied, resorting to using his knife to lever it off.  
  
"It's not too thick?" Lina asked nervously.  
  
"Thick?! No... it's just the way I like it!" (B21)  
  
Meanwhile, Serin was bringing in her own cooking for the others.  
  
Setting bowls down, she began serving them. "Xelloss-san, you really  
  
must try this spaghetti!"  
  
Xelloss raised a hand. "I don't really eat very much."  
  
She waggled a spoon at him, spraying sauce. "A growing boy like  
  
you needs good nourishment. If you don't eat every bite that I put out,  
  
I'll be Very Insulted."  
  
The Mazoku sweatdropped as she continued ladling pasta and sauce onto  
  
his plate, forming a huge mound.   
  
After serving him, she turned to Zelgadis. "Now, Zel-chan, how   
  
much would you like?"  
  
"I'll... stick to the tea," Zelgadis told her.  
  
"Nonsense! Am I your mother?"  
  
"Yes, mom."  
  
She smiled determinedly. "Then when I say you eat, you eat."  
  
Zelgadis sighed. "Yes, mom."  
  
***  
  
Xelloss smiled as he listened to the latch fall into place   
  
on the outside of his door. They obviously didn't want the crazy  
  
man getting out in the night.  
  
Whistling, he examined the room. It clearly hadn't been used  
  
for years, layers of dust on everything, window cracked, potted plants  
  
long dead. "What a lovely room," he murmured.  
  
Still, just a little longer to wait, and he wouldn't be there any  
  
more.  
  
***  
  
//Xerinier watched as claws opened his brother's chest, revealing  
  
internal organs. Xelloss's eyes were closed, no noise escaping other  
  
than the rasping of his breath.  
  
"This is wrong," Xerinier said aloud.  
  
Their father turned towards him slightly. "What did you say?"  
  
"I don't like this," Xerinier said stubbornly. "Xel didn't do  
  
anything wrong."  
  
"You..." their father began to walk towards him. "I give you  
  
life, a place to stay, and THIS is how you respond?" Suddenly, his   
  
movement was hampered slightly by Xelloss hanging off a leg.   
  
"Papa, don't get mad at Xer! He didn't mean it!" A quavering  
  
smile appeared on the child's face. "'Sokay, Xer, I don't..."  
  
Their father reached behind him and jabbed his clawed hand INTO  
  
the wound, reaching for Xelloss's heart--//  
  
Zelgadis sat bolt upright, shaking off the hand that had touched  
  
him. "Who... what... what's going on?"  
  
Xelloss's face, adult, smiled at him. "You were having a nightmare.  
  
Thought I'd wake you."  
  
Slowly, Zelgadis's heart calmed. "Oh... yes, that's right.   
  
A nightmare."  
  
The Mazoku curled up next to him. "Ne, ne, Zel... don't you think  
  
that you should tell me what these nightmares are about? You're having  
  
them every night. Frankly, you're becoming a wreck. What if we get  
  
into a fight?"  
  
"I'll be fine," Zelgadis whispered. "I don't want to talk about  
  
them."  
  
"Maybe talking will help."  
  
"I said, I'll be fine!" His voice was getting too loud, and he  
  
lowered it again hurriedly. "Besides, what could talking do?"  
  
Xelloss wrapped his arms around the chimera and nuzzled his neck.  
  
"It might make you feel better."  
  
Zelgadis tried to slide away, but the priest wasn't letting him  
  
go anywhere. "Let go!"  
  
"Uh-uh." Xelloss grinned. "Either we talk, or we play."  
  
Snarling at that smiling face, Zelgadis said, "I don't suppose  
  
if you're so worried about the sleep I'm getting you'll just let me  
  
go back to sleep?"  
  
"And have another nightmare? Now, really..."  
  
"All right," Zelgadis sighed. "They're kind of... stupid, really."  
  
He paused, and Xelloss made an encouaging noise.  
  
"They're about... you, as a child. And your brother... and your  
  
father... They were... very violent."  
  
The trickster whistled softly. "Now THAT's unusual... especially  
  
since I've never talked about my father." His brows creased  
  
slightly. "Hmmm... sounds like induced dreaming."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Induced dreaming. Nobody living's been around to do it, so I  
  
have to say it's probably a spirit, either a nature spirit or a spirit  
  
of the dead. Though I don't know why it'd choose you or that subject."   
  
Xelloss shrugged.  
  
Zelgadis toyed with the stupid bedsheets. "How do I... stop this?"  
  
"Oh, you don't. You can't, you're the dreamer. However," Xelloss  
  
smiled, "I can. You'd have to let me into your dream, though." When  
  
Zelgadis hesitated, he added, "I've already been in your mind, way back,  
  
remember? So it's not much different, except you aren't awake."  
  
"And you can stop this?"  
  
"I think so. Have to confront whoever's doing it, but it should  
  
still be easy."  
  
Finally, Zelgadis nodded. "Okay. What do I have to do?"  
  
"Just go to sleep. I'll do the rest."  
  
***  
  
//Lina sighed heavily. Why this again? She didn't even turn.  
  
"I know you're there."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't just get out of this dream  
  
now?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Okay." She raised her voice. "Cep--"  
  
"I'm sorry," Shabrinigido said.  
  
Lina's jaw dropped. "What?"  
  
"I'm... sorry. My power is yours, whatever use you choose  
  
to make of it. I was trying to manipulate you to my own ends.  
  
I'm sorry."  
  
She turned to see the dark lord with an apologetic look on his  
  
face. "You're... sorry?" Lina could hardly believe it. Shabrinigido  
  
was apologizing?!  
  
He didn't meet her gaze. "Yeah. You're my Knight, and I made  
  
that choice for better or for worse. You'll have to discover by  
  
yourself what that means, but my power will always be there for you."  
  
She shook her head. "What's the catch?"  
  
Grinning, he pulled her close. "Why do you think there has  
  
to be a catch?" Suddenly, he kissed her, full on the lips.  
  
Her eyes widened. "Mph hassa! Mfffmugg!"  
  
Releasing her, he smiled. "There. See you again, Lina."  
  
He vanished from her dream, leaving her dizzy and angry.  
  
"That bastard! Why should he even THI--"  
  
The landscape shifted around her as a more normal dream  
  
took over. She was in a city, and a huge marshmallow with Gourry's  
  
head was trashing it...  
  
She couldn't let him get away with that. It wasn't the distruction  
  
of the city she minded... but so much sweet sugary stuff in one place  
  
and it was going away from her? No way.// (B22)  
  
***  
  
Amelia clutched at her bedsheets, eyes wide. "I am not going  
  
to sleep... I am not going to sleep... I am not... zzzsh... uh! No,  
  
I can't... zzzzshttt..."  
  
Strangely, that night, Amelia dreamed only of playing with adorable  
  
little babies... cute, black-haired, yellow-eyed babies... with wings...  
  
***  
  
Xelloss smiled gently at his sleeping chimera, watching as Zelgadis's  
  
eyebrows already began to crease as the nightmare set in. These feelings...  
  
they were odd in a way, so protective, but he couldn't deny that they  
  
were... nice.  
  
He shook his head. "More important things now..."  
  
Getting comfortable -- his body would go limp as his astral form  
  
took over -- Xelloss carefully, using his staff for a focus, touched  
  
Zelgadis's forehead, extending his conciousness out... and in...  
  
//"Papa!" Young Xelloss gasped, as his father's claws closed  
  
around his heart.  
  
"Do you trust me, namagomi?" His father asked cruelly, tightening  
  
his hand.  
  
"Yes, papa!"  
  
Snorting, their father released his heart and flung him into the  
  
far wall. "You are nothing. I don't know why I keep you ar--"  
  
Xerinier stood, angry, as their father turned when the blast hit  
  
him. Not very powerful from a Mazoku as young as Xer, it did little more  
  
than scorch his skin. "You little bastard," their father snarled.   
  
"How DARE you?"  
  
Xer smiled. "Go on. I'm not scared."  
  
Roaring, his father advanced. Xer closed his eyes briefly and  
  
took his Mazoku form, still much the same as his usual, but large  
  
leathery wings extended from his back and claws from his fingers   
  
and toes. A dark aura hovered around him.  
  
But it was no good against someone stronger both physically and  
  
in power as their father was. Xer made a small noise, half pain  
  
half pleasure as their father's claws swiped across his belly, his chest,  
  
a fist slamming into his head. His eyes widened as his father took  
  
ahold of an arm with each of his own and began to pull...//  
  
"Stop," Xelloss commanded and the scene froze.  
  
Zelgadis turned and saw Xelloss, the adult Xelloss, HIS Xelloss  
  
floating beside him, watching with him. Xelloss smiled sadly.   
  
"Yes, I was afraid of this. That was exactly the way it was, you  
  
see, Zel? And there's only a few people who know that." He shook   
  
his head. "You can come out," he called softly.  
  
"Indeed."   
  
The voice was almost that of a child, one barely into adolescence.  
  
Both Zelgadis and Xelloss turned.  
  
Xerinier tossed back long hair, blood trickling down from his forehead.  
  
His wings were torn, bone showing, slashes were across his chest, his   
  
stomach, and faint lines at the joining of legs, arms, and head to his   
  
body were present. The blood was forming a slight puddle at his feet,  
  
sitting on nothingness. "Hello, Xelloss."  
  
Xelloss smiled. "Happy one-thousanth."  
  
"Hardly." The dead Mazoku's expression was harsh, and the smile  
  
on the trickster's face faded. "How can you have done this to yourself?"  
  
Xerinier demanded.  
  
Shaking his head, Xelloss asked, "Do what? I killed them for you,  
  
Xer. I grew strong. What's wrong?"  
  
Xerinier spat. "I fought the pull of her resting place for you.  
  
I wanted to see you safe. For a while, I actually thought you'd broken  
  
out from that stupid pattern. And now look at you."  
  
Confusion warred inside Zelgadis. The child, the adult, the brother...  
  
so alike and so different. Why was Xerinier hating Xelloss like this?  
  
Xerinier was one of the few people Xelloss spoke of with real love...   
  
why was this happening?  
  
"I don't understand." Xelloss was echoing Zelgadis's thoughts.  
  
"What do you mean, Xer?"  
  
"You've made yourself servile again!" Xerinier shouted. "All  
  
very well and good to have power, but you just let yourself become a   
  
servant to other people after killing your OLD master! How could you  
  
do this? I DIED for your freedom!"  
  
Xelloss took a step forward. "I'm not a servant. I may serve  
  
Xellas-sama, but I'm not a servant, really. We're more friends. She  
  
GAVE me all her power because she trusted me."  
  
"Huh." Xerinier snorted. "You still serve. You were meant  
  
to be a loner, Xelloss. Serving a master is bad enough, even if she  
  
is one of Shabrinigido's generals... but this!" He pointed at Zelgadis.   
  
"This is the last straw!"  
  
Zelgadis's jaw dropped.  
  
"Excuse me?" Xelloss demanded. "Why the HELL should my choice  
  
in lovers affect you?!"  
  
"You could have such power, Xel! If only you weren't making LESS  
  
of yourself! Your OLD lovers had the right idea, find a lover for  
  
power and use him or her! And now what? You find a... a ROCK that   
  
makes you feel sentimental and BIND yourself to him, cutting down  
  
on your power and what you're willing to do to get your way! They're  
  
all USING you! Maybe not the same way Father used you, but they  
  
still are!"  
  
Xelloss shook his head. "You're. Wrong."  
  
"You know I'm not, otherwise you wouldn't be angry!"  
  
"I'M ANGRY--" Xelloss stopped, then took a breath to   
  
calm himself. "I'm angry, Xer, because I thought that you, of all   
  
people, would understand. My love for Zel and my affection for Xellas  
  
doesn't make me subservient. I serve Xellas but I am still, in many  
  
ways, my own master, because I CHOSE to serve Xellas. And Zelgadis--  
  
just because I DO things for him doesn't mean that he OWNS me. Ne,  
  
Zel?"  
  
It was difficult to make his voice work in a situation like this.  
  
"I never even assumed I own you. You're far too independant."  
  
Xerinier laughed bitterly. "Oh, sure, he says that, and you'll  
  
believe him. He makes you weak, Xel, and you shouldn't put up with  
  
that."  
  
"Yes, perhaps he does," Xelloss admitted, and Zelgadis felt his  
  
heart just sink. "But I made you weak, too, because you loved me. You  
  
died because you loved me."  
  
"That's different!"  
  
"How?"  
  
The spirit shook his head rapidly. "Because I... you... it just  
  
was!" He pointed a finger at Xelloss accusingly. "You're trying to  
  
change the subject! I'd tried to drive him away from you with his dreams,  
  
hoping that if he left you you'd remember the way things really are."  
  
"I appreciate your intentions, Xer. And I am desperately greatful  
  
for what you did so many years ago. But in this you're wrong. Though it  
  
makes me weaker, it also makes me stronger, because I have something to  
  
fight FOR."  
  
Xerinier shook his head again. "No! I won't listen to this! You  
  
need to be free, Xel! And I can't let it go like this!" He turned to  
  
Zelgadis. "I'll destroy his mind and then you'll be free!"  
  
Xelloss stepped in front of Zelgadis. "Sorry, Xer, but I can't  
  
let you do that. Don't make me fight you, I really don't want you.  
  
You're the only happy memories from back then." He smiled. "I'm  
  
happy now, don't you see? Whether I serve Xellas or whatever you think,  
  
can't you tell I'm happy? What else is important? I wasn't happy with  
  
pa... with father. I am happy now."  
  
"But you're happy for the wrong reasons!" Power began to gather  
  
in the spirit's hands. "You should be happy for the right ones."  
  
The priest raised his hand, and his staff appeared in it.   
  
"Please, Xer, stop now. Don't go any further. Please."  
  
"I have to! I have to do it for you!" Xerinier's power was  
  
burning bright now, and it exploded outward into Zelgadis's dream.  
  
Painpainpain, memories of pain, memories of horror, people dying,  
  
wrong ones living... The dreams burning... Xelloss laughing and killing,  
  
Xerinier's body lying torn apart on the ground but not quite dead...  
  
pain... Make it stop!! Zelgadis's mind screamed.  
  
And suddenly it did.  
  
Zelgadis blinked, as though a bright light had just flashed in his  
  
eyes. "Wha--"  
  
Xelloss stood before a fading spirit version of Xerinier. "How  
  
could you?" Xerinier whispered, eyes wide. "Why?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Xer." Xelloss reached out and tried to take the spirit's  
  
hand. "I'm sorry. You wouldn't understand, you wouldn't stop. I didn't  
  
want to."  
  
"Why?!"  
  
There was nothing left but a wisp of the spirit left now, but   
  
Xelloss answered it anyway. "Because you forced me to choose between  
  
two things I loved. I'm sorry."  
  
It was gone. Xelloss turned back to Zelgadis, wiping a streak  
  
of blood like a tear from his face. "Well... it's over. You shouldn't  
  
have nightmares like this any more."  
  
Oh... Zelgadis slowly realized what Xelloss must have done.  
  
"L-sama... gods... Xelloss, I'm sorry. I didn't want anything like this  
  
to happen."  
  
"It's okay," Xelloss said absently. "He was already dead for  
  
a thousand years."  
  
"But... your memory wasn't."  
  
"No... but my memory's still there, even if he's changed what  
  
it meant." A corner of Xelloss's mouth twitched up in an attempt at  
  
a smile. "It's okay. It's better than not having dealt with it  
  
at all and letting him remain so angry, ne?"  
  
At you... Zelgadis didn't say it. "Th-- thank you." Why were  
  
the words so awkward in his mouth. "And... I'm sorry."  
  
"It's okay." Xelloss's attempt at a smile was better this time.  
  
"It's better this way... isn't it?"  
  
Zelgadis didn't have an answer.  
  
"Anyway..." the Mazoku paused for a long moment. "You must have  
  
other dreams... do you mind if I stay and watch? I don't... have   
  
dreams of my own."  
  
What could he say? Zelgadis just nodded as the dreamscape  
  
began to shift around them. "Of course."  
  
***  
  
Early in the morning, Gery hesitated outside Zelgadis's door.  
  
His son was back. He probably should go in there and give him a   
  
better greeting.  
  
Damn, if he never knew how to behave around the boy!  
  
Still, he WAS his son...  
  
Gery opened the door and his eyes went wide as he saw the  
  
purple-haired fey-looking boy curled up beside his son. "Z...Z..  
  
ZELGARDISSSS!" he screamed, waking everyone in the household up.  
  
***  
  
"Why are we running again?" Nakoku panted as they sped through  
  
the forest.  
  
"Overstayed... welcome," was all Zelgadis answered.   
  
Amelia coughed. "We've been running a long time... surely  
  
your father would have... given up by now?"  
  
An angry shout behind them told them otherwise. "Zelgardis,  
  
you get back here, you..."  
  
"What did you DO?" Lina demanded, not pleased to be running  
  
away this early in the morning.  
  
"I didn't DO anything," Zelgadis told them, not exactly a lie.  
  
"Dad just... doesn't get along with me... and they're both a bit..."  
  
"Insane?" Guntair put in. "We'd kinda... noticed..."  
  
"Right!" Lina flung a fireball back, frying Gery. "It's okay,  
  
Zel, I lowered the power, it should stop him but not hurt him!"  
  
Xelloss, floating with them, glanced back. "Uh, Lina-san,   
  
don't look now, but you've started a forest fire that's rushing  
  
towards us much faster than Gery could have..."  
  
Lina glanced back. "Oh no!"  
  
"I told you not to look!"  
  
It was odd, in a way, Zelgadis noted. Sometimes, the more  
  
things changed...  
  
"We're gonna die!" Nakoku wailed. "WAAAAAHHHH!"  
  
...the more they stayed the same.  
  
END Family part 2: Gathering No Moss.  
  
Writer's notes:   
  
W1: Whoo-hoo. Evangelion flashbacks...  
  
W2: grrr... "No, bad Cepheed! No tearing Shabrinigido's pants!" grr yip!  
  
  
  
Beta reader's notes:  
  
B1:Lessons Xelloss really didn't need to learn...  
  
B2: Nightmares, as catching as the common cold and just as hard to get rid of.  
  
B3:Justice for her mother ... for all those like her ... just agree to become part of the race that feeds off that sorta thing.  
  
B4: It's probably a good thing that Lina thought he was Gourry. Likely, it was the only thing that kept her from attempting to smash Maoh Shabranigdo into the nearest solid object.  
  
B5:Poor Homen. Oh well, there are worse ways to go...  
  
B6:Aww... the beastmaster really seems to have grown attached to her. Sorta cute. Sorta scary, but sorta cute.  
  
B7:Footprints. Scent. Aura. Magical residue. Need I continue?  
  
B8:Do the Slayers cast ever actually use horses that aren't attached to a cart of some kind? (W-yes, for food in a pinch.)  
  
B9:"... contemplating whether or not I sould join with those funny eyes that seem to float in my soul, simply so I can get a decent night's rest."  
  
B10:Someone's suicidal this morning...  
  
B11:Welcome to the convention of people who use singleletters as names! I'm M, nice to meet you. S will be giving a lecture on the finer points of intimidation in a few minutes...  
  
B12:Adults? A sorceress of indeterminate age who looks 15 or 16, a princess and a chimera who both look even younger ... that only leaves Xelloss, Guntair, and Gourry. An idiot swordsman, a maniac mazouku, and an emotionally stunted dragon. Yeah, sure. Adults. Whatever.  
  
B13:Neither are you, Xel. Not much, anyway.  
  
B14: Neither are you, Lina. You're acutually just a two-dimensional drawing, and your voice isn't even your own. Sorry.  
  
B15:Does that mean she's nakid now? (W- Sorry, not rated R. Yet.)  
  
B16:Mark your calenders everyone.  
  
B17:Yeah, everyone's come out to celebrate Pick on Xelloss Day!  
  
B18:Even though I'll probably be a pure Mazoku by the time we reach the Koku no Tani, and all your relatives will probably try to kill me.  
  
B19:But you're pretty!  
  
B20:Would he show them how his staff works?  
  
B21:Ah, the lengths love will take thee  
  
B22:Hmm... Lina eating Gourry? That's *beta-reader is drowned as the Gutter Tsunami hits her...* 


	7. Dead Giveaways

FAMILY PART 3:Dead Giveaways by Harukami  
  
...in which certain secrets are surprisingly revealed, Zel is more   
  
depressive than normal, people have Important Talks, and they finally  
  
reach the Koku no Tani.  
  
"Listen as the wind blows  
  
From across the great divide."  
  
Gourry swung his arms happily as he walked, smiling.   
  
"What are you so happy about?" Lina asked, still annoyed over having   
  
to run off so early in the morning the day before, and still unsure why.  
  
The swordsman pointed at a post stuck in the fields next to the  
  
road. "That's the post that always marked the outskirts of my   
  
family's fields. It's only a few more kilometers (W1, B1) until we get   
  
to the farmhouse.  
  
Lina glanced up at the ominous storm clouds in the sky above.   
  
"Good thing, too. I was hoping we wouldn't have to walk far in the rain.   
  
Your parents won't mind us staying overnight, will they?"  
  
  
  
He blinked, startled, then laughed. "Mom and Dad? They won't  
  
mind! They'll be glad to know I have friends!"  
  
"'sgood." Lina lapsed into silence again.  
  
Gourry cleared his throat. "So... feeling any better?"  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
The blond mercenary waved an arm in an attempt to help him  
  
gather his thoughts. "You know. You were having bad dreams, right?   
  
Feeling any better?"  
  
She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." She didn't seem to be willing  
  
to elaborate.  
  
"Good," Gourry told her. "I want you to be happy."  
  
Head lowered, she kicked a rock off the road as she walked.  
  
"I'm happy. Of course I'm happy. Why wouldn't I be happy?"  
  
He blushed. "I wasn't saying that. I just... Aw, nothing."  
  
As Gourry ducked his head, rain began to patter down.  
  
***  
  
"Voices trapped in yearning,  
  
Memories trapped in time."  
  
N-kun's head shot up, having been lowered to keep the rain out  
  
of his eyes. "What's that?!?"  
  
Gourry raised his eyes, then laughed as an animal ran up  
  
to him and started running around his legs excitedly. "Tag!" The  
  
animal jumped up and they could see it was an old sheepdog. "Heya,  
  
Tag!"  
  
The dog gave him a thorough cleaning with his tongue, as if   
  
Gourry hadn't been wet enough from the rain already, and Gourry petted   
  
him furiously. The dog barked rapidly, bouncing around, then ran   
  
around and sniffed at the others. He also gave Lina a thorough once-  
  
over with his tongue, but was more cautious with Guntair and Amelia.   
  
He completely ignored N-kun, accidentally sideswiping the child and   
  
knocking him into the mud, where his white outfit got horribly   
  
stained.   
  
Zelgadis held out a hand to Tag, who sniffed it as if curious,   
  
but gave him a cautious nuzzle. Then Xelloss crouched and held out   
  
his hand for the dog to sniff as well. The dog gave him a sniff then   
  
began to bark excitedly, rolling over in the mud as if ecstatic.   
  
Xelloss laughed. "Aah, this is what the wolves have become?" (B2)  
  
Tag bumped his head into the Mazoku's hand, and Xelloss ruffled  
  
his ears before rising from his crouch again.  
  
"I guess he likes you," Gourry commented. "Hey, Tag, go and   
  
tell Dad that I'm back!"  
  
The dog took a few steps forward, then glanced back Xelloss who  
  
shrugged. "Go on." Tag set off across the field towards the farming  
  
house that could just be seen.  
  
Gourry picked Nakoku out of the mud. "Come on! They're gonna  
  
be waiting for us now!"  
  
***  
  
"The night is my companion,  
  
The solitude my guide."  
  
They were, in fact, waiting for them. Mrs. Gabriev, a middle-  
  
aged woman with faded blue hair, met them at the door, giving Gourry   
  
a huge hug. "Oh, Gourry, it's been so long! How are you?"  
  
Gourry hugged his mother back. "Things are great, I've been   
  
going on adventures and saving the world and stuff!"  
  
"Did you use the sword?"  
  
"Yeah, and it's really great, but I'm running out of extra   
  
disposable blades."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure your father   
  
would be more than willing to give you extra." She smiled as she   
  
waved them all in. "Oh dear, you're all soaked! Here, let me take   
  
your cloaks."  
  
Amelia smiled gratefully and handed the woman her half-cloak,   
  
stepping out of her boots. "Thanks, Gabriev-san!"  
  
  
  
"No problem, dear." She slung the cloak over one shoulder and   
  
turned to Guntair. "What are you doing without one? It would be   
  
horrible if you caught a chill. I'm sure that nice girl," she   
  
indicated Amelia, "would be sad if you got sick. You don't want to do   
  
that, do you?"  
  
Guntair's mouth worked, and eventually words came out. "Uh,   
  
well... I don't really get sick easily, and the people I come from   
  
don't like confining things like cloaks too much..."  
  
Giving him a once over, Mrs. Gabriev suddenly nodded. "Oh, I   
  
see, you're not human! I was wondering why you felt different. Well,   
  
as long as you are sure, because I know you wouldn't want to cause   
  
that girl grief, even by accident."  
  
The Ryuzoku blinked, facefaulting.  
  
Suddenly, Mrs. Gabriev noticed the state of Nakoku's clothing.   
  
"Oh, you poor thing! Honey!" She called into the back room. "Do   
  
we still have any of Gourry's childhood clothes?"  
  
A man cleared his throat, then a, "Yup," floated forward.  
  
She smiled at N-kun. "We'll lend you some clothes, and I'll  
  
get your outfit washed tonight."  
  
The child's jaw dropped. "T-thanks! I don't want to put you to   
  
any trouble, though..."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev waved that away, laughing. "It's no trouble, I   
  
have to do laundry every few days anyway." Smiling, she took Lina's   
  
cloak, almost dropping it, but catching it in time. Bags of gold (B3)  
  
clinked. "Goodness, this is heavy! I hope it isn't too much trouble   
  
to carry."  
  
Lina shook her head. "Actually, it's a handy way to carry your  
  
loot... I mean, your possessions, when you're always on the road."  
  
"I'm sure it must be," she agreed, slinging the cloak over her  
  
arm. She took the cloak Xelloss was holding out, smile faltering only  
  
briefly as her hand brushed his. "My, Gourry, what interesting   
  
friends you have."  
  
"Yeah," Gourry laughed, hand behind head. "I guess you could   
  
say that."  
  
Zelgadis was shifting uncomfortably, then had his cloak swept   
  
out of his hands. Mrs. Gabriev stopped for a moment, then patted his   
  
shoulder. "You poor thing! Well, don't worry. I'm sure everything   
  
will be okay, whatever it is."  
  
The chimera's eyes bugged. "Wh-- what?"  
  
Mrs. Gabriev raised her arms with the cloaks in them. "I'll   
  
just go hang these up. Please, make yourself comfortable in the next   
  
room!" She smiled at them, then bustled off in another direction.  
  
There was a long silence as everyone just looked at Gourry, then  
  
Xelloss asked mildly, "Why didn't you tell us your Mom was a powerful  
  
empath, Gou-kun?"  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "Empath? What's that? Mom's just  
  
good at guessing how people're feeling."  
  
Lina threw up her arms as she headed for the next room. "For  
  
crying out loud, doesn't anyone have a normal family?!"  
  
"My parents are normal," Gourry protested as they all followed   
  
her.  
  
In the living room, a man was sitting in a big armchair. He  
  
tapped out his pipe as they came in. "'lo, Gourry."  
  
"'Lo, Dad!" Gourry hugged him.  
  
"Watch the ash."  
  
Gourry carefully wiped it off his arm. "Oops."  
  
"No harm done." The man looked Gourry up and down. "Grown  
  
into the armour."  
  
The swordsman nodded happily. "Yeah!"   
  
"You gonna wear it in the house, though?"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Mr. Gabriev nodded at the others amicably. "Siddown."  
  
They all found seats and sat. "Hi, Mr. Gabriev," Amelia  
  
ventured.  
  
"'Lo. Work with Gourry?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, we all do."  
  
"'S what I meant."  
  
Tag padded in from the other room and sat down at Xelloss's feet.  
  
He made a small bark. Xelloss patted him. "Hello again."  
  
The dog lay down on his feet.  
  
  
  
Mr. Gabriev took a puff on his pipe. "Likes you."  
  
Xelloss smiled. "Funny, that's what Gourry said."  
  
"Mm."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev came in from the other room, a small bundle in her  
  
arm. "Here you go, child." She pointed towards the kitchen. "You  
  
can get changed in there if you wish."  
  
He ducked his head, and headed for it.  
  
"So." She smiled at them. "Why don't you introduce yourselves?"  
  
Lina shrugged. "I'm Lina Inverse."  
  
The lady raised an eyebrow. "The sorceress?"  
  
The red-haired girl twitched. "Please don't call me abominable."  
  
Shaking her head, Mrs. Gabriev said, "People are seldom what   
  
others make them out to be. I would never call someone abominable   
  
without getting to know them first." She turned to Amelia. "And you,   
  
dear?"  
  
Amelia stood and curtsied. "I'm Amelia Wil Tessla Seiryuun! I,   
  
just, uh, travel with Lina and Gourry and stuff. You know."  
  
"Indeed!" Mrs. Gabriev smiled. "And you, sir? You seem to care  
  
for her a lot."  
  
Guntair blushed furiously. "Uh, well, yeah, I, uh, do. I'm...  
  
Guntair."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev nodded. "It's a pleasure, I'm sure. Out of   
  
curiosity, what are you?"  
  
"I'm a Ryuzoku." Realizing that she might not know what that   
  
was, he added, "A dragon."  
  
"I know what that is, dear." She tilted her head. "I'm just  
  
a little surprised... I've never met a dragon wandering through   
  
before, and certainly not in the company of any humans."  
  
Guntair shrugged. "I've lived an unusual life."  
  
"I'm sure. Things are better than they were, though, ne?" she  
  
asked gently. At his nod, she changed the subject. "And you, young  
  
man. What's your name?"  
  
Seeing her looking at him, Zelgadis met her eyes. "I'm Zelgadis  
  
Greywars."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev blinked. "Oh... the same Greywars that live just  
  
a few days travel away?"  
  
He winced. "Yes... um, but if they come by... I wasn't here,  
  
all right?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow but didn't ask. "All right. I won't  
  
tell them. But I would be interested to talk to them."  
  
"No you wouldn't."  
  
Shaking her head slightly, she corrected, "I would. You never  
  
know what you can learn by talking to others, and what they can learn  
  
from you."  
  
N-kun came in then, wearing a pale blue outfit, baggy, arms  
  
and legs rolled. He waved quickly with a, "I'm N-kun!" before   
  
crawling up onto the sofa beside Amelia.  
  
Smiling at him, Mrs. Gabriev said, "The clothes look nice on   
  
you. I'm glad we could help. Is there anything else we can help   
  
with?"  
  
The child swung his legs, not meeting her eyes. "No, thank you."  
  
"If you say so." She turned her eyes on Xelloss, who met her  
  
gaze with his own eyes open and a half-smile on his face. "You aren't  
  
human either, are you?"  
  
"No," he smiled.  
  
"And you're not Ryuzoku."  
  
"No."  
  
A slight frown touched her face. "What are you?"  
  
He debated lying for a moment, then figured it didn't really  
  
matter. "I'm Mazoku." His smile widened.  
  
"Mazoku." She thought for a moment. "Legend places them as  
  
demons, and the enemy of Ryuzoku, am I right?"  
  
"Oh, entirely correct."  
  
She shook her head. "I'm just surprised that a Mazoku would   
  
travel with a Ryuzoku. I don't mean to be rude."  
  
He shrugged. "I'm a surprising person?" he ventured, smiling.  
  
"And a very cautious one, I can see, but I imagine you have a  
  
very strong reason to travel with them. What's your name?"  
  
"Xelloss Metallium."  
  
Her lips twitched up in a smile themselves. "Sounds like you   
  
expect to be well-known."  
  
A quick 'if only she knew!' passed through his mind, and he  
  
said simply, "Only among some groups. Anonymity is more fun, though."  
  
"I'm sure." She cast her gaze back to the whole group again,  
  
still friendly. "I'm afraid we only have three free rooms, so you're  
  
going to have to double up, is that all right?"  
  
Lina raised a hand. "We're used to it."  
  
She nodded. "All right. Lina-san... would you prefer to share  
  
a room with Gourry or simply with Amelia?"  
  
The sorceress's jaw dropped. "No! Gourry and me, we aren't...  
  
you know, we don't..."  
  
"I wasn't certain," Mrs. Gabriev admitted. "Then, Gourry,  
  
N-kun, and Guntair-kun, can you share Gourry's room? Is that all right?"  
  
All three shrugged. "I guess it's okay," N-kun added.  
  
"And Amelia-chan and Lina-chan will share a room then, there's a   
  
spare bedroom." Mrs. Gabriev decided. "And of course, Zelgadis-kun   
  
and Xelloss-kun will want to share."  
  
Lina went into a coughing fit. "That might not be a good idea!"  
  
Mrs. Gabriev looked confused. "What do you mean?" She looked at  
  
Zelgadis and Xelloss. "You ARE lovers, aren't you? I'm not usually   
  
wrong about these things." Uncertainly, Mrs. Gabriev extended a hand,  
  
taking a step towards Xelloss.  
  
Ah, so she's mainly a touch-based empath, the Mazoku noted,   
  
sidestepping her touch. He took hold of the shocked Zelgadis's   
  
shoulders. "Shared room is fine. And, in fact, we should probably   
  
get going up there now as ANY minute now Zel's going to snap out of   
  
this and try to kill someone..." Xelloss smiled.  
  
Mrs. Gabriev seemed sure of herself again. "All right, dear,   
  
second door to the right at the top of the stairs. Will you be down   
  
for dinner?"  
  
"I doubt it," Xelloss called, steering Zelgadis, still   
  
completely stunned, up the stairs.  
  
He managed to make it to their room before Zelgadis snapped out of it.  
  
***  
  
"Would I spend forever here  
  
And not be satisfied?"  
  
Lina shook her head. "You've got to be kidding!"  
  
"I know what I felt," Mrs. Gabriev said calmly.  
  
Amelia picked at the material of her shirt. "You know, I'd   
  
suspected..."  
  
"Arrgh!" Lina pulled at her hair. "Don't suspect! This is   
  
*Xelloss* and *Zelgadis* we're talking about! Those two are more   
  
likely to KILL each other than kiss each other!"  
  
Gourry frowned. "But Lina, don't you remember when Zel said..."  
  
Lina waved a hand, cutting his words off. "Look, don't you see   
  
that we're basically just smearing Zelgadis's reputation here? Let's   
  
just drop it and talk about something else, okay?"  
  
***  
  
"And I would be the one  
  
To hold you down,"  
  
"Gods!"  
  
Xelloss caught Zelgadis as the chimera's legs gave out, guiding   
  
him to sit on the bed. "Shh, just sit, it's okay."  
  
The chimera buried his face in his hands. "It's not okay. They  
  
know, L-sama, they know, even the kid. Amelia, Lina, all of them,   
  
they know."  
  
"Yes, they know." Xelloss sighed slightly. "I don't see how   
  
they can't."  
  
Zelgadis shivered. "Oh, gods... they're going to hate me now, I  
  
know they are..."  
  
Worried now, Xelloss looked him up and down. He knew the signs;  
  
Zelgadis had gone into shock. That could be very bad, as everything  
  
would get much worse when he came out. With an empath, that could   
  
knock out the whole group, and they needed to get to the Koku no Tani  
  
soon, to fulfil his master's wishes. What could he do?  
  
Well, he could put Zel into a deeper shock, bringing his   
  
subconscious to the fore, Xelloss realized. It would be nasty when he   
  
came out, but it might stop the whole party from falling apart for too   
  
long.  
  
He shifted his staff to touch Zelgadis's legs, making soothing   
  
noises softly, setting the spell off mentally. A slow start,   
  
undetectable. He didn't want to drive Zelgadis into a worse state.  
  
"Oh gods, oh gods, they're going to hate me..."  
  
Xelloss stroked the chimera's arm. "Would it help to say I'm   
  
sorry?"  
  
Zelgadis flinched. "I didn't mean it like that, but I..."  
  
"I know." Xelloss tightened his grip on Zelgadis's arm. "I   
  
know."  
  
The shaman sighed and leaned against Xelloss. "Gods..."  
  
"If they hate you for something this small, then they aren't  
  
worth having as friends," Xelloss told him. "They of all people   
  
should know that there's more to you than your choice in lovers, and   
  
if they don't, they AREN'T your friends."  
  
Zelgadis rested his head on the Mazoku's shoulder. "Only thing   
  
I have, really, you and them. Don't wanna lose either..."  
  
"I wouldn't worry," the priest smiled. "If they're going to   
  
hate anyone, they're going to hate me. They already don't trust me,   
  
so they're going to think I seduced you at the very least." Turning   
  
his head, he bit lightly at Zelgadis's ear. "I could play that if you   
  
like," he purred. "It would be rather fun."  
  
Shaking, Zelgadis slid away from Xelloss. "Don't," he said   
  
plaintively. "They're YOUR friends too... Don't... you... what was I   
  
saying?"  
  
The spell was beginning to take effect. Xelloss kissed Zelgadis   
  
almost harshly, pushing him back against the bed. "I don't care what   
  
they think of me," he informed the chimera. "I have to stay with   
  
them, but beyond that I really don't care." He ran his tongue across   
  
Zelgadis's cheek.  
  
"Don't," Zelgadis said again, but this time for another reason.   
  
"Don't... what if... what if someone hears?"  
  
Xelloss chuckled, pulling off his shirt and tossing it to the   
  
side, unfastening his pants. "Does it matter now?" By Zelgadis's   
  
face, it was clear it did. The Mazoku sighed and whispered something,   
  
ending with a quick, "Silence." Power radiated from the room's   
  
parameter briefly, then faded, and with it faded all the background   
  
sounds. "Silence spell, Zelgadis. Now nobody can hear us."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Zel."  
  
Zelgadis blinked, obviously trying to stay focussed and failing.   
  
"Uh.. yes?"  
  
"Are you going to take that shirt off or is it going to go the   
  
same way as before?"  
  
The chimera gulped and fumbled with his shirt.  
  
***  
  
"Kiss you so hard  
  
I'd take your breath away."  
  
"Damn!" Lina cursed, heading for the stairs.  
  
Mrs. Gabriev caught her arm. "Dinner's ready, Lina-san. Aren't  
  
you going to come to the table?"  
  
She tried to shake the woman's hand loose, but Mrs. Gabriev had  
  
a really strong grip. "I've been monitoring for magical activity, and  
  
someone just cast a spell upstairs. I'm not sure, but I think it was  
  
a silence spell... which would only be cast if they were going to   
  
fight to the death and didn't want anyone knowing. Let go, I don't   
  
want Zel to get hurt!"  
  
Gourry's mother removed her hand but still shook her head.   
  
"Those two, they aren't going to kill each other. Ever. I don't   
  
think you should go up there. You'll just embarrass them and   
  
yourself." (B4)  
  
Lina started up the stairs again. "I know these two, and I  
  
don't want anyone to get hurt!"  
  
"But--"  
  
Which door was it? Lina asked herself. Oh, right, second door  
  
to the right. She tried it, but it seemed to be held tightly shut.  
  
"To hell with this," she muttered, and blasted through the door.  
  
Quickly, she stepped in and assessed the situation.   
  
Well, Xelloss wasn't /killing/ Zelgadis... unless you could kill  
  
someone with your tongue, and lips, and hands... Lina blushed   
  
furiously.   
  
Xelloss glanced up at her, and his lips twitched up slightly  
  
in an unusually self-directed smile. Zelgadis didn't seem to have   
  
noticed her yet; his eyes were closed and his mind elsewhere.  
  
The Mazoku slid off of Zelgadis and walked towards her, waggling  
  
a finger. Lina's blush deepened. Having aroused naked men walking  
  
towards her was not an experience she was accustomed to, nor   
  
particularly enthused by, especially when said naked man had just been  
  
crawling all over one of her best friends.  
  
"Now Lina-san, although I'm sure whatever you came in to   
  
discuss was important, now isn't the best time." Xelloss put his   
  
hands on her shoulders. "Can we talk later?"  
  
Quickly, she looked away from him, back to Zelgadis, who had  
  
just seemed to notice Xelloss was gone and was making little   
  
uncertain noises, reaching out.  
  
"What did you do to him?" she demanded, tearing free and heading   
  
towards the bed. Zelgadis ALWAYS noticed what was going on...   
  
although admittedly she'd never encountered him in this situation,   
  
but...  
  
Xelloss followed. "Nothing... yet," he said, half purring.  
  
Zelgadis's eyes popped open at his voice, resting on Lina only briefly  
  
before travelling back to Xelloss, half glaring. Xelloss began to   
  
turn Lina to the door.  
  
***  
  
"And after, I'd  
  
Wipe away the tears."  
  
Zelgadis was happy. Zelgadis was very happy. He was all warm  
  
and his brain was sweetly fuzzed up and interesting feelings were  
  
running all over him and he felt tingly. It was nice.  
  
Then suddenly, the interesting nice feelings began to grow  
  
fainter, the touches gone, and the tinglies growing stronger instead  
  
but it was almost painful. He frowned, not sure he liked that as  
  
much. He was still fuzzed up though.  
  
Xelloss was gone, that was why, the realization pushed through  
  
the layers of cotton candy in his mind. He didn't want that. Where  
  
was Xelloss? Xelloss made those nice feelings happen...  
  
He heard that familiar voice and his eyes popped open. Xelloss  
  
was standing there, talking to Lina. Lina? For a moment, something  
  
in his mind was screaming something about Lina, but then the voice  
  
drowned in the cotton candy and went away. What was that? Oh yes,   
  
Xelloss, talking to someone who wasn't him when there were far better  
  
things he should be doing. Zelgadis frowned as Xelloss turned away,   
  
trying to lead Lina to the door... no, he was going away, that wasn't  
  
supposed to happen.  
  
Zelgadis leaned out of bed and cupped his hand around Xelloss's  
  
butt. Well, he'd stopped, but how to get him to come back? Oh,   
  
maybe... "Mono Bolt," Zelgadis whispered.  
  
Oh, look, Xelloss LIKED that. Maybe when he stopped twitching  
  
he'd come back.  
  
***  
  
"Just close your eyes,  
  
Dear."  
  
Lina and Xelloss both glanced back as Zelgadis moved. He   
  
had a strange-half smile on his face as he reached out and... grabbed  
  
Xelloss's butt!? Lina's eyes bulged. This was SO not happening.  
  
"Zel," Xelloss said softly.  
  
Zelgadis's smile deepened. "Mono bolt," he said huskily,  
  
casting a spell that Lina remembered most clearly from her first fight with  
  
him. Lightning played across Xelloss's body, a moan tearing itself  
  
from his throat, his--  
  
Lina's mind hit overload and shut down. She turned without  
  
noticing anything else, walked out the doorframe, pulled together what  
  
was left of the door, cast a barrier spell, and made it downstairs  
  
to the dinner table without, thankfully, thinking anything at all.  
  
***  
  
"Through this world I've stumbled,  
  
So many times betrayed,"  
  
"Wow, Mrs. Gabriev, this beef is the BEST!" Amelia exclaimed,  
  
helping herself to more. "I wish I could cook like you!"  
  
"Could I have some more mashed potatoes?" Gourry asked. "Oh,  
  
thanks, mom!"  
  
"Thanks for the blue-rare!" Guntair smiled. "It's been  
  
a while!"  
  
Mrs. Gabriev laughed. "I'm glad you all like it."  
  
"Hey, Lina-san," Nakoku asked, "Could you pass the salt?"  
  
Lina stared at her food.  
  
"Please?"  
  
Absently, Lina picked up the salt-shaker, then stopped and   
  
watched it in her hand.  
  
"Uh, Lina-san?"  
  
She dropped it. "HAS THE WHOLE WORLD GONE CRAZY OR IS IT JUST  
  
ME?!?"  
  
Silence fell as they looked at her.   
  
"What's wrong?" Gourry asked.  
  
She shook her head, eyes wide. "Xelloss... Zel... no(,) that  
  
is so stupid! It... what? How?! I mean, this is XELLOSS and  
  
ZELGADIS! There's no way that they'd ever... but they were!" She  
  
buried her face in her hands. "My head hurts."  
  
More silence. N-kun hopped off his chair and patted her on the  
  
back. "Are you okay?  
  
"No," she mumbled around her hands. "Everything I took for   
  
granted in this world has turned upside down and the insides fell out.  
  
And hit me. Then landed in messy piles on the floor which I know I'll  
  
have to clean up later."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev came to her side. "Lina-san, they love each other.  
  
I know you're awfully surprised by all this, and may not understand,  
  
but... Zelgadis is happy with him. I could make that out definitely,  
  
and also that he was afraid of something to do with you guys. But  
  
he's happy, and even if you don't like Xelloss that much, you can  
  
at least accept that, I'm sure."  
  
"And all the time, 'Damned Mazoku, stupid fruitcake!'! Was it  
  
all lies? Was he lying to us for how long?" Lina tore at her hair.  
  
"ARRGH! IF THERE'S AN UNLIKELIER COUPLE, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE!"  
  
(W3) She glared around at them all suddenly. "Why aren't you guys this  
  
surprised?"  
  
They shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"Don't tell me you KNEW?!"  
  
Guntair laughed nervously, one hand behind his head. "I   
  
guessed, actually."  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!?"  
  
He winced. "Xelloss threatened my life if I told anyone. He   
  
said something about making me wish I was a Gold... though I'm not  
  
sure what he meant by that..."  
  
"I suspected," Amelia admitted. "I started suspecting a long  
  
time ago, but when I first brought it up they... they weren't...   
  
and I've been too nervous to ask since..."  
  
Lina slapped her forehead. "And you, Gourry? Did YOU know   
  
and not bother to inform me of this little development?"   
  
The swordsman swallowed his current mouthful. "Well, you know,  
  
back in that fight with... what's her name... Yuba or something..."  
  
"Yume."  
  
"Yeah, that sounds about right. Anyway, Xelloss jumped in front  
  
of that spell thingy and got hurt and you were pretty distracted but,"  
  
Gourry took a glug of fruit juice, "Zelgadis pretty much screamed out  
  
that he loved Xelloss. I thought you knew."  
  
"You. Thought. I. Knew."  
  
Gourry flinched back. "Uh, yeah..."  
  
She forced a smile. "It's okay, Gourry, you had no reason to  
  
know I didn't, but next time something like this happens, tell me   
  
even if you think I do know."  
  
"...ok."  
  
Lina turned to N-kun. "Don't tell me even YOU knew?"  
  
"Knew what?" N-kun looked innocent, blinking his huge eyes.  
  
"Never mind, you're just a kid." Lina sighed and rubbed her  
  
temples. "I'm going to bed, where I'm going to have a pleasant   
  
migraine."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev patted her arm. "Don't let it get to you too   
  
much."  
  
"Whatever. Where's that room?" (B5)  
  
***  
  
"Trying to find an honest words to find  
  
The truth enslaved."  
  
"Xelloss," Zelgadis sighed, eyes drifting shut.  
  
The Mazoku smiled. Oh no, my dear, he thought, I'm not letting  
  
you off that easily. No, I need a reason for the spell's effect of  
  
apparent exhaustion.   
  
Besides, who knows what Zelgadis will do when he comes out of   
  
this? Especially after Lina... knowing and Knowing are two different  
  
things.  
  
Xelloss tried to clear away his worries. Live for the moment,  
  
he reminded himself. It's what I've always had to do, and I have to   
  
do it now. You can never know what tomorrow will bring, never know.  
  
Live for the now.  
  
//Zelgadis crying out harshly//  
  
Live for the now.  
  
//Tears running down his face as his hands dig pleasantly/  
  
painfully into my back.//  
  
Live for the now.  
  
//My name on his lips.//  
  
After all, Xelloss mused with a half-smile, the now is the only  
  
thing I CAN live for.  
  
Zelgadis might hate him if he finds out he dulled his   
  
consciousness, no matter what his reasons had been, Xelloss knew.  
  
Live for the now, forever.  
  
The Mazoku leaned down and kissed Zelgadis again, shaking him  
  
slightly until he opened his eyes. "Wha-?"  
  
"Not done yet," Xelloss half-purred. "Wakey-wakey."  
  
***  
  
"Oh, you speak to me in riddles,   
  
You speak to me in rhyme."  
  
//Lina stood, looking over a constantly moving sea, listening to   
  
the sound of the relentless waves moving in, moving out. There was   
  
something wrong with this image, and after a while she realized what  
  
it was; there was no wind. And yet the waves moved in, moved out.  
  
Another sound started, and she barely noticed it at first, with  
  
the way it fit in with the sound of the waves. She turned as soon  
  
as she recognized it.  
  
Shabrinigido sat at a table behind her, shuffling a deck of  
  
cards. He indicated a chair across from him with a wave of his head.  
  
"Come. Sit."  
  
She crossed her arms.  
  
The dark lord sighed. "Please?"  
  
Why not, she decided, pulling the chair out and sitting.   
  
"There's a mistake in your illusion."  
  
"It's not an illusion, nor is it mine. It's a dreamscape of   
  
yours that I molded, but it is not my dreamscape." He smiled as  
  
he continued to shuffle. "But what's the mistake?"  
  
"No wind."  
  
He laughed. "No mistake. I wanted to play cards and I didn't  
  
want them to blow away... join me in a game?"  
  
Lina frowned. "What's the catch?"  
  
"No catch," Shabrinigido said easily.  
  
"You're a Mazoku. There's always a catch." She thought about  
  
this. "Hell, you're THE Mazoku, so there must be a catch."  
  
A deep chuckle. "Think of it this way... I have been imprisoned  
  
for thousands of years. So long ago! And during that time it's  
  
been fairly lonely. I just want to play cards with someone else in  
  
a game that isn't solitaire."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "All right... say I accept that...   
  
what's the rest of the terms? You want to play for money, or what?  
  
What game?"  
  
"No risk, no gamble. And how about 'Go Fish'?"  
  
Hmmm... Lina contemplated that. An innocuous enough game.  
  
"All right."  
  
"I'll deal." Shabrinigido's hands moved quickly, dealing them  
  
both seven cards, then setting the deck down in the middle of the  
  
table.   
  
Remembering, Lina asked, "Book or pairs?"  
  
"Book. I only ever play for the larger ones."  
  
She snorted. "I'll remember that. Uh..." She examined her   
  
hand. Two queens... the pictures being of a small girl with green  
  
hair, hiding her face, for the Queen of Chaos, and a figure that   
  
gave Lina a brief chill as she saw the smiling face, eyes shaded from   
  
her bangs... her Oneesan, Luna, as the Queen of Light. "N-- nice  
  
cards."  
  
Even without looking up, she knew he was smiling. "Thank you.   
  
They were a long time in the making."  
  
"Yeah." What else? The King of Chaos... a blond-haired woman   
  
that Lina knew too intimately, though never having seen her in flesh.   
  
L-sama. She also had the 4 of Magic, and three Jacks. The Jack of  
  
Magic... Gourry, Hikari no Ken balanced on his palms. No doubt that  
  
the sword was the only thing that made Shabrinigido choose him as  
  
the Jack for the Magic suit. The Jack of Light -- Guntair, with his  
  
hair loose from its customary ponytail and swinging loose around him,  
  
jet-black wings natural on him. And also the Jack of Darkness...  
  
Xelloss. The trickster's finger was up in the no-no position, his  
  
smile was dark, and his eyes were open. That reminded her... she   
  
looked up and glared at Shabrinigido. "Did YOU know?"  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"It couldn't have happened on its own. There has to be   
  
ulterior motives. I mean, Zelgadis HATES Xelloss."  
  
Shabrinigido shrugged. "Oh, that. I didn't actually know...  
  
I cannot actually keep in proper touch with anyone outside of YOUR  
  
dreamscape, and that only because you are my Knight. However I   
  
can pick up impressions, and I had been feeling a lot of... activity  
  
from them lately."  
  
Lina sighed.   
  
"Actually, you won't believe the shows you can get on the   
  
astral plane while those two..."  
  
"I don't want to hear it!" Lina interrupted. "Do you have any  
  
Jacks?"  
  
The Ruby-Eyed accepted the change of subject and examined his  
  
cards. "Yes." He pulled a card out and tossed it at Lina. She took  
  
it; it was the Jack of Chaos. "It's my second favourite picture,"   
  
he mentioned.  
  
Nakoku, the top form his adult curse form, the bottom the   
  
child form. Odd to put him as Chaos, though, Lina mused. "What's  
  
your favourite?" she asked, laying down her full book.  
  
"I'm sure you'll come across it."  
  
"Have any fours?"  
  
"Go fish."  
  
She drew. It was the 4 of Chaos. "How lucky do you get? Fish,  
  
fish, I got my wish." She flashed it at Shabrinigido and put it in  
  
her hand.  
  
He nodded. "Have any Kings?"  
  
Lina sighed and slid it across the table at him. He grinned  
  
and placed his first book on the table: King of Chaos that she'd   
  
given him, King of Darkness (himself), King of Light (A man with  
  
Ryuzoku eyes and white hair), and the King of Magic (Zelgadis, almost  
  
hidden behind his hood and half-mask). She leaned over the table  
  
to look at them, remembering to hide her hand at the last minute.  
  
"Well, I recognize most of those folks... but who's the King of Light  
  
supposed to be?"  
  
Reaching out and touching the card almost gently, Shabrinigido  
  
commanded it, "Show her."  
  
The card came to life briefly, the surprised eye of the Ryuzoku  
  
narrowing with anger, growing dark. The view pulled back to show  
  
Shabrinigido standing in front of him, in human form, holding an  
  
ugly flail. The dark lord raises the flail, and Ryuzoku reaches out  
  
a hand. Light gathers in it, becomes a lance. Shabrinigido's lips  
  
move, obviously saying something, and the Ryuzoku snarls, raises   
  
the lance, charges. Shabrinigido sidesteps, bringing his flail down  
  
but the Ryuzoku rolls, avoiding the blow. He backs off a distance  
  
and prepares to throw the lance; Shabrinigido shifts to his Mazoku  
  
form, and the lance bounces off his armoured skin. The Ryuzoku  
  
shifts into his Dragon form immediately, and they lock in battle.  
  
The fight continues, until the Ryuzoku is laying on his back, weakly.  
  
Shabrinigido raises his hand/claw, but stops suddenly, hesitating.  
  
The Ryuzoku casts something blindingly bright, and as Shabrinigido  
  
reels back, the Ryuzoku's claws tear into him, ripping him into seven  
  
parts which flash and are sealed; the card doesn't quite show how,  
  
instead it falls back to the Ryuzoku who shifts back into his humanoid  
  
form, sighs, and his eyes drift shut. Then the card went back to   
  
its original image and froze.  
  
Lina's jaw drops. "Oh," she says. "It's..."  
  
"Yes," Shabrinigido admits. "You're lucky. We were the only  
  
ones who knew exactly how the battle went. Now you do as well."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They were silent a long time, then Shabrinigido asked, "Do  
  
you have any eights?"  
  
"Uh..." Lina looked back at her hand. "Go Fish."  
  
He shrugged and drew.  
  
"Have any Queens?" She asked.  
  
"Yes." He took a card and slid it across to her. "Queen  
  
of Darkness."  
  
She picked up the card, curious.   
  
And saw herself staring back, smiling, fireball clasped in  
  
her hands, eyes a ruby red.//  
  
***  
  
"My body aches to breathe your breath,  
  
Your words keep me alive."  
  
Safe, there was no safe place! Homen began to feel the panic  
  
overtake him again, and fell back into that odd calm. There was   
  
a safe place. He just had to find it.  
  
Inhale.  
  
One hand tightened on the Teardrop Ruby, the other brushing   
  
green bangs out of his eyes. His breath wheezed as usual in his   
  
weak chest, but he no longer felt the pain as before.  
  
To the east, perhaps? He started walking again, not knowing  
  
what was prompting it. Within the hour, he found a cave, dark, long,  
  
and warm. Safe? For now.  
  
Enough time to sleep, at least.  
  
***  
  
"And I would be the one  
  
To hold you down,"  
  
//Guntair dying.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
Guntair being tortured and killed.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
Guntair afraid of being tortured and killing himself.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
Amelia was beginning to get numbed by the whole thing. Too  
  
often, now, she was seeing this. Sometimes she would scream denials.  
  
Sometimes she would cry. Sometimes she would almost agree and stop  
  
herself. She wouldn't be agreeing for that reason, she would be  
  
agreeing because she wanted to stop seeing this.  
  
Guntair not wanting to betray her and killing himself.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
She found that it was easier not to reply at all than to do  
  
anything. It was like a horrible play, watching him die over and  
  
over again.  
  
Stop. Change scene.  
  
Papa running in to protect her and dying horribly.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
"No!"  
  
Papa being assassinated by his family.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
"Papa!"  
  
Papa getting killed by invaders from a nearby kingdom.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
"Just... stop this."  
  
Papa getting kidnapped and held for ransom, tortured, and   
  
killed.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save him from this.  
  
Inhale, Amelia told herself. It's just a ploy. Keep watching  
  
and remember it isn't real.  
  
Oneesan's dead body turning up, stripped of her wealth, defiled  
  
for her looks.  
  
If you were one of us, you could save her from this.  
  
It isn't real. It isn't real.  
  
Mother bleeding out her life on the floor, blood everywhere,  
  
everywhere, so much blood so much blood! Her blue eyes, the same  
  
eyes that Amelia had... had once had... the same blue eyes Oneesan  
  
had... wide, terrified, showing her pain. Oneesan falling to her  
  
knees, screaming out their mother's name, staining her white dress  
  
with the blood, all that blood. "KAASAN!" Amelia's own voice, and  
  
Oneesan's as well. Mother's fingers twitching, trying to reach for  
  
them, blood bubbling on her lips. "KAASAN!" Mother watching them  
  
watch her die. "KAASAN!"  
  
If you were one of us, you could have saved her from this.  
  
Amelia filled her lungs with the terror and screamed.//  
  
***  
  
"Kiss you so hard,  
  
I'll take your breath away."  
  
  
  
Listening to the breathing of his two companions, even Nakoku's  
  
oddly beautiful adult form familiar now, Guntair slowly drifted to  
  
sleep.  
  
//He was fighting through a red mist, looking for something.  
  
What was he looking for?  
  
Laughter reminded him.  
  
"Amelia!"  
  
"Come and get me, Gun!"  
  
His sense of sight was confused in this mist, he couldn't find  
  
her like that. He closed his eyes. "Amelia!"  
  
"Why don't you come for me, Gun?"  
  
To the left. Keep walking. "I'm coming, Amelia."  
  
"Of course you are!"  
  
Ahead now. Keep following. "Don't stop talking, Amelia!"  
  
"Find me!"  
  
Here. He stepped out of the mist. "Amelia."  
  
She was kneeling in front of a pool of water. "Guntair, I'm  
  
scared."  
  
"Why?" He was immediately concerned. "Has someone hurt you?"  
  
Amelia shook her head, still focussed on the pool. "I'm   
  
scared that you'll hate my reflection."  
  
He laughed. "Your reflection's still you, Amelia."  
  
"Is it? Is that me? Who is me? I don't know who I am   
  
anymore."   
  
He glanced at the reflection.  
  
It was... Amelia. Sort of. Her shamanist outfit was identical  
  
to her normal one, but the white was a pitch black. Her skin was  
  
almost pallid in colour, and her eyes...  
  
Not the blue when he first met her, not the violet they were  
  
now, but... a deep blood-coloured red. Reflection Amelia's mouth  
  
twisted up in a smile.   
  
"You see?" The reflection's mouth moved in sync with Amelia.  
  
"And now you'll hate me."  
  
For the life of him, Guntair didn't know what to say.//  
  
***  
  
"And after, I'd  
  
Wipe away the tears."  
  
The gold was peaceful, gently, soothing and unpredictable.  
  
//"Mother."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Where after Zefilia?"  
  
"Not Yet. I'll Tell You After."//  
  
The gold was so pretty... maybe everything should be like the  
  
gold...  
  
***  
  
"Just close your eyes,  
  
Dear."  
  
Morning broke.   
  
Actually, morning shattered as Gourry thundered down the stairs  
  
with the force of a hoard of Gourrys. "I SMELL BREAKFAST!"  
  
Mrs. Gabriev turned, already in the process of ladling food  
  
onto plates from a HUGE pot. "Good morning, Gourry!"  
  
"Morning, mom! Gimme the food!" Gourry snatched the plate from  
  
his mother and started shoveling breakfast into his mouth.  
  
At a slower pace, Guntair descended, carrying N-kun, who was  
  
really just waking up, his big green eyes blinking sleepily. "Good  
  
morning, Mrs. Gabriev," Guntair greeted her.  
  
"Good morning, you two! Ah, and here are Amelia-chan and Lina-chan  
  
as well."  
  
"Morning," Lina yawned, obviously still turning something over in  
  
her head. "I could have sworn that the two of Chaos had been... so  
  
why..."  
  
"Huh, what?" Amelia asked nervously. "Morning? Ah... yeah, it's  
  
morning... a good one... yeah..."  
  
Gourry's mother frowned. "Amelia-san, you look jumpy. Is something  
  
wrong?"  
  
She laughed quickly. "Wrong? No, no, nothing wrong... nothing  
  
at all... eheheh... I just... didn't sleep well... that's all."  
  
"Do you want to talk--"  
  
The woman was interrupted by Xelloss sliding down the banister,  
  
flying into the kitchen, and hitting the far wall. He pushed himself  
  
off and gently touched down. "Good morning, minna-san!" he chirped  
  
cheerily.  
  
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Zelgadis slowly  
  
descended the stairs, nobody sure of what exactly to say, but then  
  
he tripped on the bottom stair, smacking his face into the floor.  
  
"Zelgadis-san!" Amelia exclaimed, helping him up, coming awake as  
  
she saw someone in trouble. "Are you all right?"  
  
He looked at her blankly, nodded his head carefully as though  
  
worried it would fall off, blinked a few times, and stumbled into  
  
the kitchen. Through a process of trial and error, he found his  
  
chair, and sat in it carefully. Mrs. Gabriev slid some tea in front  
  
of him, which he blinked at twice. His eyes slid shut. "Gzzsht..."  
  
Lina stumbled over her words. "Zel, are you... are... are you.."  
  
"Are you even awake?" Xelloss finished suddenly, waving a hand  
  
in front of Zelgadis.   
  
The chimera opened his eyes again. "Gzzsht?"  
  
"Are you even awake, Zel?"  
  
He seemed to think about this for a very long time, then, finally,  
  
shook his head.  
  
"I see." Xelloss shrugged. "Can you walk on your own?"  
  
Again, long pause as Zelgadis thought. Then he nodded.  
  
"Good," N-kun said, stuffing another forkful into his mouth.  
  
"Then we can keep on to Zefilia today!"  
  
Guntair frowned. "Is that a good idea?" he asked. "With Zelgadis  
  
this out of it..."  
  
Xelloss waved a hand dismissively. "He'll be fine! I'll just  
  
point him in the right direction and keep him from smacking into trees  
  
and stuff. Ne, Zel?"  
  
"............ Gzzsht...."  
  
***  
  
"Into this night I wander,  
  
It's morning that I dread."  
  
"Mom..."  
  
Mrs. Gabriev put her arms around her son. "Gourry." For a moment,  
  
she hugged him tightly, almost afraid to let him go. Then her arms  
  
loosened, giving up to the inevitable. "Don't get killed out there."  
  
He laughed. "Hasn't happened yet!"  
  
"I know. Just... I have this feeling there's much more coming.  
  
So... be careful. That's all. Just promise me." (B6)  
  
"I promise."   
  
***  
  
"Another day of knowing of  
  
The path I fear to tread."  
  
Zelgadis was feeling fuzzy and slightly cold. People, things...  
  
too well defined, yet he couldn't control... anything. The way he  
  
walked. Thought. Could he think? He was thinking this, wasn't he?  
  
Something was... wrong.  
  
He was too far away. Why was he so far away? It was like he  
  
was joined to his body by a thread, unable to control things. Everything  
  
was distant. But that was okay, right?  
  
Hand on his shoulder, turning him. He tried to speak, but his  
  
body only made a little noise. That was okay.  
  
It wasn't like there was anything he wanted to say.  
  
***  
  
"Oh, into the sea of waking dreams  
  
I follow without pride."  
  
Xelloss allowed himself a moment of guilt. He deserved to be  
  
guilty, anyway. He had put Zelgadis into this.  
  
He'd had to, but that didn't make it right.  
  
Still, he'd done it. Maybe it was even better, in the long run.  
  
No panicking empaths. Time to take the big trouble to a more private  
  
place.  
  
Briefly, he reached out and squeezed Zelgadis's shoulder. He   
  
hoped Zel could feel it though his haze, but he probably couldn't.  
  
He'd be out of this by tomorrow morning.  
  
So why did Xelloss dread that?  
  
***  
  
"Nothing stands between us here,  
  
And I won't be denied!"  
  
They said their 'fond' farewells and were on their way. Nakoku, for  
  
one, was more than glad to get out of there; an empath that strong could  
  
easily learn which was his true form. Plus he had to get to Zefilia.  
  
He wasn't sure why, yet, but he had to. The why could come later.  
  
Surely they weren't going to buy this innocent child act much  
  
longer!  
  
He tugged on Guntair's pant leg. "Guntair-san!"  
  
The Ryuzoku smiled at him and it was all he could do not to  
  
roll his eyes. "Yes, N-kun?"  
  
"Carry me!" He blinked a few times for extra benefit.  
  
Still, there were some good things due to this.  
  
***  
  
"And I would be the one  
  
To hold you down,"  
  
"Ne, Gourry."  
  
Lina was interrupted as behind them, Xelloss shouted. "No, Zel,  
  
walk on the path, not the lake - oh shi--" And there was a large splash.   
  
She looked back to see the Mazoku pull Zelgadis out of the water. Zelgadis  
  
blinked and lifted a hand, watching the water drip.  
  
"Yes, Lina?" Gourry was smiling at her.  
  
She pulled her thoughts back together. "Don't you think Zelgadis is  
  
acting... weird?"  
  
"Oh, he probably just didn't get much sleep."  
  
Lina's skin took on a bluish tint as she flashed back to that nasty image  
  
place. "Don't say things like that! Even if they are--" She blushed,  
  
colour returning in a flash. "Even though they are, it's not like... well,  
  
Mazoku aren't very lovable, and I'm sure Xelloss knows a lot of spells  
  
which most sorcerers wouldn't... do you think he, you know, used his magic  
  
to make Zel... well... you know?" she finished lamely.  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "Gee, Lina, that's really not my thing.  
  
But... Mom said that they did love each other, and Mom's not wrong about   
  
things like that. It's good enough for me."  
  
"ACK! ZEL, TREE!" SMACK.  
  
"... I know she's a strong empath, but, well, have you ever heard  
  
of a Mazoku in love?"  
  
"Well, yeah, Mom says that Xelloss..."  
  
"BESIDES Xelloss."  
  
"Just because people don't hear about it, doesn't mean it doesn't  
  
happen." (B7)  
  
Lina sighed. "There's no point in talking to you about this, is   
  
there?"  
  
Gourry was silent.  
  
The sorceress shifted uncomfortably, seeing Gourry avoiding her  
  
gaze. "Look, I... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but this is just  
  
so... sudden, you know? And it's so against Zelgadis's nature... it's   
  
all wrong."  
  
"If you want, I'll agree with you," Gourry told her.  
  
"But what about what you THINK?"  
  
He sighed. "I told you that already."  
  
"I know, but it's just so..."  
  
"I agree," Guntair interjected. "It's not like I know Zelgadis  
  
really, but the whole concept's just messed up. Mazoku don't love. That  
  
much I know."  
  
Amelia hopped from one foot to another. "I don't know, Gun. I  
  
mean, Zelgadis seemed happy the last little while. It's only today that  
  
he's out of it. And happy's what matters, right?"  
  
"Not if it's forced upon him."  
  
"So you think Xelloss cast a spell saying, 'you will be happy! Enjoy  
  
yourself!'?"  
  
"No," Guntair snarled. "I think Xelloss cast a spell saying, 'you  
  
will screw my brains out, and you will like it whether you want to or not'."  
  
Amelia's jaw dropped and she blushed brightly. "GUN-KUN!"  
  
"Well, it's what I think," he defended himself.  
  
Lina was shaking her head slowly. "It's the closest... but the pieces  
  
don't fit..."  
  
"Look, I've had a lot of... experience with Mazoku," Guntair pointed  
  
out. "And frankly, I know what they do. That's not far out from what they  
  
DO do only they usually gloat more."  
  
"Ano, Zel! WATCH OUT FOR THAT--" THUD "--rock."  
  
Amelia's voice was smaller now, not wanting to argue. "It's just...  
  
way, way back, before they were together... I think... you remember, Lina,  
  
when Zelgadis told me he didn't... anyway, he'd been researching Xelloss.  
  
I don't know why, but he was. And... and then I told him I thought Xelloss  
  
was in love with him and he kinda got confused... I don't know if that's  
  
important, but..."  
  
"There!" Guntair said smugly. "Xelloss found out Zelgadis was  
  
researching him and put him under a spell which would be highly amusing,  
  
considering Zelgadis was probably trying to find a weakness in Xelloss's  
  
defense in the research!"  
  
"But why wouldn't he have told me that instead of shutting it and  
  
getting confused?"  
  
Guntair's smile fell. "Well, that's where it falls apart. Give  
  
me a minute to think of something."  
  
There was a squawk behind them and they turned to see Xelloss get  
  
pulled to the ground with Zelgadis, instead of pulling him up. Zelgadis  
  
snuggled into his chest sleepily and shut his eyes, starting to snore  
  
almost immediately  
  
"Zel!" Xelloss said frantically, trying to squirm out from under.  
  
"This is a road! We are going to Zefilia. Walking, you remember, Zel,  
  
walk? Can you get up? WAKE UP!"  
  
"Gzzsht..."  
  
Amelia nudged Guntair. "Well? You've had a minute."  
  
"Uh... this is all... part of Xelloss's... ruse?"  
  
***  
  
"Kiss you so hard,  
  
I'll take your breath away."  
  
Thiro the Bandit was having a bad day.   
  
It had started well. A year ago, he had survived Her. The ...  
  
no, he could not even think her name. The Bandit Killer. And now,  
  
today...  
  
He'd gathered his gang from scratch, worked them up to a great  
  
band of bloodthirsty bandits. And then they'd seen a woman walking  
  
alone on the road.  
  
Quite a beautiful woman, really. Her outfit could barely be  
  
referred to as clothes... a waitress's outfit, high at the thigh. Not  
  
low at the bosom, but it didn't really matter in this case, as her breasts  
  
were large enough that the cloth was strained across them. Her bangs  
  
were too long, perhaps, but he (and his men) weren't really interested  
  
in her face anyway. Basically, looking at her, it was easy to tell that  
  
she was everything the Bandit Killer wasn't.  
  
And she was walking alone. So he and his men did what any   
  
self-respecting bandit would do.  
  
They ran out there to take her money, knock her down and...  
  
She looked up and smiled. It was then that Thiro noticed that  
  
the line of her face was similar to Li... to the Bandit Killer's. Same  
  
skin tone. Same...  
  
She raised a hand, light beginning to glow brightly in it.  
  
Thiro the Bandit was having a bad day indeed.  
  
***  
  
"And after, I'd  
  
Wipe away the tears."  
  
"Ne, Gourry?"  
  
"Haven't we had this talk before?"  
  
Lina blinked. "No, I don't think so. It's... your mom...  
  
you're adopted, right?"  
  
"Yup." Gourry didn't seem upset about it.   
  
"Well... just... what happened?" Lina found herself blushing and  
  
forced herself to stop.   
  
"Dunno. They found me at the bottom of a cliff with my head all  
  
bloody. Said I was a gift from L-sama, who brought me down from the  
  
heavens but dropped me by accident at the end."  
  
"Oh." It figured. They walked in silence for a minute. "Does  
  
it bother you?"  
  
Gourry shrugged. "I don't have to be born to her to be her son."  
  
Lina scuffled her boot, watching dust rise from the road. The  
  
rainstorm hadn't reached this far, then. "Yeah... family's funny  
  
that way..."  
  
***  
  
"Just close your eyes,  
  
dear."  
  
"Hire you? For just a few days?"  
  
The nice young lady smiled and nodded, swaying back on her heels.   
  
The innkeeper's eyes went to her bouncing breasts for a second,   
  
then forced themselves back up to her face. "Instead of paying   
  
to stay, you'll work here?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, sir. If it pleases you, sir." Her smile   
  
widened somewhat, but he didn't get the joke.  
  
"That'll be fine. Just give me a day's warning before you   
  
have to go. Talk to Izzy about what tables you'll do."  
  
***  
  
"Just close your eyes..."  
  
Lina shaded her eyes. "Hey, look, it's an inn!"  
  
"We can't stop there," Nakoku complained. "We've got to get  
  
going to Zefilia. Besides, it's only early afternoon."  
  
She sighed. "You're probably right." A cart came past and  
  
she stepped out of it's way. "There'll be another inn by dinnertime,  
  
I hope."  
  
"ZEL! IT'S A CART! GET OUT OF THE--"  
  
***  
  
"We walk without a sound  
  
across a barren landscape."  
  
Homen stepped into the inn, stomach growling. It was only about  
  
four, but he needed food. He would travel by night, sleep by day, but  
  
right now, he needed food. He sat at a table, and a maroon-haired   
  
waitress hurried up.  
  
"Can I take your order?"  
  
"Just... bread and cheese, please," he whispered. He glanced  
  
at the nametag on the waitress's shirt. "...Luna."  
  
"Water to drink?"  
  
"Yes." He kept his head down, not meeting her eyes. For some  
  
reason, the waitress gave him the chills.  
  
He was becoming paranoid, he reflected bitterly. If he thought  
  
a WAITRESS might scheme against him, who knew what he'd think next.  
  
***  
  
"Your eyes are twisted down  
  
To a dew entailed ground."  
  
As Luna retreated to get the bread and cheese, her eyes glinted  
  
beneath her bangs. So. Cepheed had told her it had been stolen, but   
  
fancy running into the thief here.  
  
Should she nab him now or wait?   
  
No, wait. She needed to find out exactly what happened in the  
  
Black Dragons' weak guard. She'd just find him again later.  
  
She smiled at him as she delivered his bread and cheese, memorizing  
  
his features and extending her consciousness to leave a brief tab on  
  
him. She could find him again now. It might take time to travel,  
  
but she'd find him now, no matter what.  
  
"I'll just get your water for you now."  
  
And if she got him now, she wouldn't have time to stop and talk  
  
to Lina-chan for a while. That was something she HAD to do.  
  
***  
  
"We watch the stars as they   
  
Slowly fade away,"  
  
  
  
Xelloss sighed as he hauled Zelgadis to his feet. This was   
  
more tiresome than he'd thought it would be... but it had been his plan,  
  
so he'd stick to it.  
  
Nobody was looking, now. Rather, they were studiously avoiding  
  
looking. Xelloss was used to this for other reasons, but would Zelgadis  
  
be?  
  
//"Shut up! Just shut up, shut up!" Zelgadis turned away.   
  
"Don't look at me!"  
  
"It's okay, Zel, it's okay..."  
  
"NO IT'S NOT! It's never been okay and it will never be okay!   
  
I'm an ugly freak who everyone hates! Just leave me ALONE!"//  
  
Stupid, Xelloss berated himself. Zelgadis was used to this. Not  
  
comfortable with it, not happy, but he was damn well used to getting it.  
  
For a moment, he hesitated, torn, glancing back at the faces turned  
  
away from them. Then, suddenly, using his Mazoku speed, he embraced  
  
Zelgadis. Quickly changing it to an arm around his shoulders, leading  
  
him, Xelloss whispered in the chimera's ear, "Don't lose yourself."  
  
Briefly, he thought he saw something in Zelgadis's eyes, some   
  
recognition of what he had said, perhaps? But it was gone before he  
  
was certain, returning to the faded, not-there look.  
  
Why those words, Xelloss wondered, chilled, remembering their  
  
first source.  
  
//Xer made a small noise, half pain half pleasure as their   
  
father's claws swiped across his belly, his chest, a fist slamming   
  
into his head. His eyes widened as his father took ahold of an   
  
arm with each of his own and began to pull... And his arms came  
  
off. Xelloss felt something scream inside him, watching the blood  
  
spurt, feeling the pain echoing from his brother to him. Their  
  
father reached again, grabbing his legs. Xerinier looked past the  
  
monster to Xelloss, eyes hooded in shadow, but red tears streaking his  
  
face along with other blood. "Don't lose yourself," he whispered  
  
as the tears of blood flowed down his face. "Xel, whatever you do,  
  
don't--// (B8)  
  
Xelloss cut the memory off there with long practice and training.  
  
The pain inside him at his brother's memory now faded into a kind of  
  
dull anger, the kind he stored up for later use. No need for it now,  
  
save it for when it had to be there.  
  
Beside him, Zelgadis stumbled, and Xelloss absently caught him,  
  
easing him back into balance.  
  
***  
  
"And in the clearing sky I see  
  
The cold stone face of morning setting in on me."  
  
It had been a long day, and Xelloss's smile had twisted to  
  
sardonic long before they'd reached the inn. Leading Zelgadis up  
  
the stairs, his smile twisted more as he heard Lina whisper clearly  
  
to the others, "Wait until they're in their room and then we talk."  
  
She couldn't know that Mazoku hearing was better than human,  
  
Xelloss sighed mentally. She hadn't intended to--  
  
Who cared what she'd intended? It's not like it mattered  
  
what she thought of him, anyway.  
  
"See, here's our room," he whispered to Zelgadis, knowing that  
  
even if the chimera couldn't make out the meaning of the words, he  
  
could at least hear his voice. "Now you can sleep. No more walking  
  
today."  
  
Slowly, Zelgadis nodded, hands fumbling at his side for his sword  
  
belt, but not quite figuring out the buckles.  
  
So, the spell was wearing off. No real surprise.   
  
Zelgadis was going to hate him again in the morning, Xelloss  
  
thought, oddly amused. He helped the chimera undo his cape and   
  
remove his shirt, then led him towards the bed.  
  
Only a slight helping hand, and Zelgadis was in bed, head against  
  
the pillow, sighing sleepily.  
  
Xelloss watched him for a moment. "When the sun rises, you'll  
  
hate me again," he murmured, stroking the shaman's face, then turning  
  
away. He should remain phazed out and listen to the others talk, get  
  
some idea of what the two of them be facing, should the others decide to turn  
  
on them.  
  
And was stopped by a hand on his arm, no real strength in the hand,  
  
but there. Xelloss turned, to see Zelgadis blink at him with tired eyes.  
  
"Yes?" He leaned closer.  
  
Zelgadis tugged, overbalancing Xelloss and pulling him into bed.  
  
While Xelloss blinked, not sure whether to be amused or alarmed at the  
  
missed chance, Zelgadis rearranged him, yawned, placed his head on  
  
Xelloss's chest, and started snoring.  
  
Briefly, only briefly, Xelloss thought about leaving anyway.  
  
Then he sighed and wrapped his other arm around Zelgadis. He might  
  
as well stay, he could find out what they said easily enough later.  
  
And besides, Zelgadis would hate him tomorrow.  
  
***  
  
"It's a Strange World,  
  
It's a very strange world,"  
  
  
  
"YARRG!" Lina grumbled, pulling at her hair. "I just don't get it!  
  
Gourry, Amelia, why are you standing UP for him?!"  
  
Amelia shrugged uncomfortably, face burning under the other's  
  
gazes. "I really... I mean... Well, Xelloss was being so nice today  
  
to Zelgadis and..."  
  
"Yeah," the red-haired sorceress snorted. "If you can call leading  
  
someone he brainwashed around by the hand NICE."  
  
Gourry scratched his head. "Dunno, really. It was just, you know,  
  
back when that Yugi--"  
  
"Yume."  
  
"Whatever, when she attacked Zelgadis and Xelloss jumped in the way  
  
and almost died... you know. I mean... you know what I'm trying to say,  
  
right, Lina?"  
  
She breathed out harshly. "NO, I DON'T know what you're trying to  
  
say, Gourry! Clarify it a little?!"  
  
"Just... well... it was so... self-sacrificing. It just seemed  
  
real nice, that's all. I mean, Xelloss doesn't normally do that sort of  
  
thing."  
  
Lina nodded rapidly. "That's exactly why it's suspicious. He   
  
wouldn't do that sort of thing. He has some kind of plot up his sleeve."  
  
"But," Gourry protested, "Why would he plot? He's our friend."  
  
"This is XELLOSS we're talking about."  
  
Amelia shifted nervously. "Lina-san... why don't you just scan  
  
Zelgadis-san for control-based magic? And... if there isn't any...  
  
just ask him?"  
  
Lina's face flushed immediately. "I can't ask him that!"  
  
Guntair shook his head. "Oh, they're definitely lovers. I mentioned  
  
it to Xelloss and he threatened to kill me if I told you. But they ARE lovers.   
  
The question is why? Even if there's no magic control, there's still   
  
control. Mazoku love to have control. And they love to force people.  
  
I really, really don't trust this at all."  
  
Lina sighed. "I'll scan him tomorrow. And if there isn't any--"  
  
her blush deepened, "I'll talk to Zelgadis."   
  
***  
  
"That leaves me holding on to nothing  
  
when there's nothing left to lose."  
  
  
  
"Hey, watch i--"  
  
"OH!"  
  
The two waitresses collided, and the blonde girl watched with  
  
wide eyes as her huge stack of plates began to wobble and fall.  
  
"Oh no!" she exclaimed, tears starting up in her eyes.  
  
Moving fast, Luna balanced her own platters on her forearms,  
  
sliding her body into the falling stack and using some minor magic  
  
to help rebalance it again. "Got it."  
  
The blonde girl reclaimed the dishes, almost pathetically grateful.  
  
"Thank you, thank you!"  
  
"You okay?"  
  
She nodded, holding the dishes carefully. "Yes... thank you..."  
  
From the main room, a harsh male voice called, "Where's my food?!  
  
I had to have ordered an hour ago!"  
  
Luna grinned, shifting her plates to a better position for maneuverablilty.  
  
"Business calls -- never a dull moment! See you!"  
  
Heading out and delivering the food to the waiting men with a pleasant  
  
smile, Luna mused over the girl. Almost completely hidden, a sense of...  
  
something. Luna's smile deepened. Perhaps... she'd have to see more. Very,  
  
very softly, she cast a spell towards one of the men who should be in the  
  
blonde girl's serving area.  
  
She passed the girl on the way back to the kitchen, and hadn't even   
  
reached the door before she heard the girl scream.  
  
Turning, she saw the man she'd cast the spell at with his hand up   
  
the other waitress's skirt. The blonde girl had dropped her tray and notepad  
  
and was shrieking. Still screaming, she reached out blindly and gripped  
  
the edge of the thick wood table, lifting it as though it weighed   
  
nothing, spraying dishes and food around as she swung the table lightly,  
  
bashing the man through the inn wall and down the street. Shrieks changing  
  
to sobs, the girl dropped the table (which cracked to floor as it hit)  
  
and covered her face, crying.  
  
Yep, Luna thought. She'd been right. Ryuzoku, or at least part  
  
Ryuzoku, from her appearance.  
  
Oops. And now the man's friends are surrounding her. Luna  
  
sighed. "I guess I have to step in," she murmured, stepping up.  
  
The fight was over in under a minute. However, Luna mused as  
  
she followed the blonde girl into the manager's office, the repercussions  
  
would last much longer, for the other waitress at least.  
  
She started paying attention to the manager.  
  
"You're fired," he said.  
  
The blonde girl gasped. "Wh--what?"  
  
He drummed his fingers. "You heard me, Chris. You're fired.  
  
Luna's new here and didn't know the rules, so she can stay on, but you  
  
understand perfectly well that we don't allow fighting here. You're  
  
fired."  
  
Chris clamped her hands onto the manager's desk. "Please, sir!  
  
I can't survive without a job! Please... give me another chance...  
  
I promise not to do anything bad again..."  
  
He shook his head. "No, Chris. I can't have such violent  
  
people working for me. Get out."  
  
Her whole being drooped. "Yes sir. Can I at least stay the  
  
night?"  
  
The manager relented slightly. "Yes, but you leave in the morning."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Luna stepped forward. "How are you going to replace two waitresses  
  
so quickly?" she asked, grin hovering about her lips as usual.  
  
He leaned back in his seat. "You misunderstand me, Luna. You  
  
can stay on."  
  
She laughed. "No sir, YOU misunderstand ME. I quit."  
  
***  
  
"Your touch is cold and damp.  
  
The devil's in your eyes."  
  
//Zelgadis looked around.   
  
He was on a forest path, but the trees around him were fuzzy... not clear  
  
at all. Behind him, the path faded away, and the only way he wasn't afraid  
  
to go was ahead... or he could just stand there, feeling the vertigo around  
  
him.   
  
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he decided.  
  
He took a step forward. The path phazed around him and he stumbled   
  
into a clearing.  
  
A boy was kneeling in front of a pond, crying.  
  
Hesitantly, not knowing what to do, Zelgadis approached him. "Are   
  
you okay?"  
  
The boy turned. His eyes widened as he saw Zelgadis. "Monster!"  
  
he screamed at the same moment Zelgadis recognized him.  
  
It was himself. His human self.  
  
"It's okay..." Zelgadis whispered. "I'm not a monster... I just  
  
want to know if you're all right..."  
  
Human Zelgadis scrambled to his feet, tightening his grip on his  
  
wooden practice sword. "Monster! Stay away from me! Don't even TOUCH  
  
ME!" Slashing inexpertly at Zelgadis, the human part of himself dashed  
  
past him, down the forest path. Watching him go, Zelgadis felt something  
  
break inside of him.  
  
Very slowly, he walked over to the spot where the human had been   
  
kneeling and stared at it blankly. There were impressions in the ground  
  
where his knees had pressed. Zelgadis sank into them, fitting him perfectly,  
  
and gazed into the pond, wanting to know what had drawn the other himself's  
  
attention.  
  
At first, only his reflection gazed back at him, and then... hands  
  
emerged from the water, reaching out towards him. Zelgadis gasped and  
  
sat back.  
  
"Don't be afraid," a voice whispered. The voice was familiar, but  
  
Zelgadis couldn't quite place it. The hands beckoned to him. "I won't  
  
hurt you physically. I only ever do what you need. What do you need?"  
  
Unable to stop himself, Zelgadis leaned forward. "I... I don't know."  
  
"You used to desire physical strength... you have that now." The  
  
voice was light, almost teasing. "What else do you WANT, if you don't  
  
know what you need?"  
  
"I want people to just leave me alone."  
  
"Do you?" the voice asked with an uncaring curiosity. The  
  
hands reached for him again. "Let me offer it to you."  
  
He let them take hold of him and they pulled him under.  
  
NO! Pay attention to me! Look at me!  
  
His friends... if he had any friends... talking amongst themselves.  
  
He walked up to Lina and tried to put his hand on her shoulder... it  
  
passed through, meeting no resistance. "Look at me! I'm here!"  
  
"It's a pity about poor Zel," Lina said.  
  
"He couldn't have known," Guntair sighed.  
  
Amelia scuffled at the ground with her foot. "How's Xelloss taking  
  
it?"  
  
"What?!" Zelgadis tried to shake Amelia, demand answers, anything,  
  
but again, couldn't touch her. "How's Xelloss taking what!?"  
  
"How's Xelloss taking what?" Xelloss's voice echoed the question  
  
brightly as Xelloss stepped up to them.  
  
"You know," Gourry said. "Zel."  
  
"Hm? Oh, that." Xelloss waved a hand dismissively. "He had a  
  
miserable life anyway. He's probably happier being dead anyway."  
  
Dead? "What?" Zelgadis demanded, trying to grip Xelloss's shoulder.  
  
"That's kind of harsh," Amelia said quietly.  
  
Xelloss laughed. "Is it?" he asked. "I don't think so. Even  
  
you must admit it, Amelia. He was an okay guy, I guess. Good in a fight,  
  
and good screw, but it's not like we're going to miss him, really." The  
  
Mazoku shrugged.   
  
It's not true! "Tell me it's not true!" Zelgadis screamed, trying  
  
to grab Xelloss. "It's not true, it's not!"  
  
Lina rubbed her temples. "Xelloss..." (and for a moment Zelgadis's  
  
heart leapt, hoping she'd rush to his aid) "I really don't want to hear  
  
about your sex life."  
  
"Ex sex life," Xelloss reminded her cheerfully. "He's dead now,  
  
remember?"  
  
"Still, it's a pity," Amelia said. "I kinda liked him for a while.  
  
He was okay."  
  
Guntair shook his head. "Bad things happen to good people," he   
  
commented. "Still, it's probably better this way for all of us."  
  
Xelloss took Lina by the shoulders. "I have newer conquests in  
  
mind," he grinned, nuzzling her cheek.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Cut it out, don't play the same games with  
  
me as you did with Zelgadis."  
  
He started to lead her away. "Zelgadis is dead, don't mention me  
  
in the same breath as him. Let's all just leave him alone now."  
  
Zelgadis surfaced, gasping for air, realizing only vaguely  
  
that he wasn't actually in the water, merely kneeling by the pond. It  
  
didn't matter; he'd still been drowning. "It's not true!"  
  
"No," the voice agreed. "Not yet. Do you still want it?"  
  
"NO!" Zelgadis sobbed. "I don't! I don't!"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want them not to hate me for being with Xelloss," Zelgadis  
  
said slowly, drawn back to the here and now. The arms reached for him  
  
again.  
  
"Eh?" Lina asked. "Hate you? Of course I don't hate you. What  
  
kind of question is that?"  
  
Zelgadis watched himself shake his head. "I guess it was stupid."  
  
"It's not your fault Xelloss is a manipulative bastard," Lina   
  
said sympathetically. "But it's okay. We're not going to let him keep  
  
hurting you."  
  
"Hurting me?" the real Zelgadis and the phantom Zelgadis asked in  
  
unison. "He's not hurting me," the 'dream' Zelgadis finished. "I like  
  
being with him. I'm happy."  
  
Amelia walked in. "You can't be happy," she informed him. "It's  
  
all Xelloss's fault. He's convinced you that you're happy, that's all."  
  
"No!" 'Dream' Zelgadis cried as the real Zelgadis watched numbly.  
  
"I love him!"  
  
"You do?" Lina asked slowly. "I mean, honestly and truly?"  
  
"YES!"  
  
Lina let her breath out all at once. "I'm sorry. Oh gods,  
  
Zelgadis, I'm so sorry..."  
  
"What do you mean?" 'Dream' Zelgadis took her by the shoulders.  
  
"What do you mean?!"  
  
The sorceress didn't meet his eyes. "When we thought he was using  
  
you... well... I'm sorry. He's dead."  
  
"Wh-- what?"  
  
"I... I can take you to his remains, if you like, to say your last  
  
goodbye. He doesn't look that bad, really," Lina rambled. "It was  
  
a clean death. Relatively clean, that is..."  
  
Zelgadis jerked away from the hands, angry now. "NO! Who are you?  
  
I don't trust this! I won't believe what you show me!"  
  
"Who am I?" It chuckled darkly, and someone rose from the pond.  
  
His body was Xelloss's, his hair Gourry's, his eyes Lina's, his clothes  
  
Guntair's, his face Amelia's. Each of them had a share in him. "I'm  
  
you, Zelgadis." As he spoke, Zelgadis realized that the voice was his  
  
own. "I'm your doubt."  
  
***  
  
"I wonder why I always let  
  
you lead me on this way."  
  
A sea, moved by no wind. Lina closed her eyes. "I'm here again?"  
  
Shabrinigido's voice was calm. "You sound upset."  
  
"I'd just like to dream normally now and then."  
  
He chuckled. "Nothing's normal for you, any more. As soon as I  
  
chose you, you lost that chance."  
  
She turned angrily on him, but he just smiled at her and held up  
  
a deck of cards. "Do you want to play?"  
  
"NO!" She waved a hand, cutting the air. "I'm sick of your games!  
  
The only reason you played last night was to get me to see that card. I  
  
know that! I'm not stupid! Well, I don't want to be manipulated by you.  
  
NO MORE!"  
  
"Lina." His voice was soft, almost caressing, and he dealt the cards  
  
on the table in front of himself in a solitaire position. "I was made to  
  
be the Lord of the Mazoku, and I was born to manipulate. All Mazoku are.  
  
Ryuzoku too, but we're better at it. You cannot blame me for being   
  
true to my nature."  
  
"Like hell I can't!" she raged. "All you want from me is power!   
  
Tell me why I should grant it!"  
  
He sighed and flipped a card over absently. "Didn't you realize  
  
what would happen when I chose you? I thought I gave you enough time to  
  
get used to the idea."  
  
She stopped mid-rant. "I still don't know when you chose me."  
  
Shabrinigido paused, hand still held over a card. "'I grant you   
  
the honor of having killed me.' Sound familiar? Just a little?"  
  
Her jaw dropped. "But I killed you! It wasn't like I filled out  
  
a job application!!"  
  
The Mazoku Lord grinned at her, showing disturbingly pointed teeth.  
  
"Same thing, ne? You can kill me, you're strong enough to fight a god.  
  
All of us agreed instantly that you would be a perfect Knight. And it's  
  
not like your morals would disagree."  
  
She sputtered.  
  
***  
  
"'Cause you see only what  
  
You want to see,"  
  
Zelgadis woke slowly, feeling vaguely like he had a hangover, not  
  
completely pleased by the knocking at the door. He spread a hand across  
  
the sheets, feeling them cool. Xelloss had been gone for a while.   
  
As the knocking came again, he put a hand to his head. Why did he  
  
feel so fuzzy? "Dicleary," he cast, clearing his head immediately. Odd,  
  
he didn't remember drinking. Of course, he didn't remember much...  
  
Sliding out of bed, he pulled on his pants, then sat back on the bed,  
  
running a hand over his eyes and brushing his bangs away from his field of  
  
view. "Come in."  
  
Slowly, the door opened and a blushing Lina stepped in.  
  
Lina. His brows creased. Something he should be remembering. "Yes?"  
  
he asked calmly, still mentally searching.  
  
"Zel... there's something I think we need to talk about," Lina began,  
  
clearing her throat.   
  
Something we need to... oh shit. No, what he was remembering couldn't  
  
have been true, could it? She couldn't have... and he hadn't... oh gods.  
  
"You were there, weren't you?"  
  
"Pardon? There?" Lina looked confused for a moment.  
  
"The room," Zelgadis felt a blush spread across his own cheeks. "You  
  
walked in. You did, didn't you? I'm not misremembering... gods..."  
  
Lina and Zelgadis's cheeks both began to radiate. "You mean when," she  
  
started, stopped, blushed even brighter, coughed, and finished. "Uh, yeah."  
  
This is not happening. This is not happening. "Well." Zelgadis stated,  
  
stood, pulled on his shirt, and strapped on his sword belt. "I'm going to   
  
breakfast."  
  
"Look, Zel, we have to talk," Lina said desperately.  
  
"I don't think so," he said mildly, covering up his panic with   
  
emotionlessness as always. "Excuse me, please."   
  
Lina followed him down the stairs. "Zel..."  
  
Zelgadis turned into the dining room. Amelia looked up and waved,  
  
then turned back to her food with a vaguely queasy look. Xelloss didn't  
  
seem to notice him at all, instead poking at his breakfast inquisitively  
  
with a fork, and quirking an eyebrow quizzically as it bit his fork and shook  
  
it.   
  
But the others... Gourry was looking back and forth between him and   
  
Lina as if confused, and Guntair was mouthing something at Lina. Out of  
  
the corner of his eye he saw her head shake, briefly.  
  
They knew. They all knew.  
  
"Hey Zelgadis-san!" N-kun chirped excitedly. "You gotta order the  
  
Surprise of the Day! If you try hard, you can even teach it to do tricks!!"  
  
They all knew.  
  
"No thank you," Zelgadis said calmly. "If you will all excuse me,  
  
I'll be outside for a few minutes."  
  
Without waiting for an answer, he headed for the door. No good staining  
  
the inn floor.  
  
***  
  
"You feel only what you want to  
  
and I am on the outside of your strange world."  
  
"What's he up to?" Amelia asked, watching her breakfast turn around  
  
three times before laying down again. "Zelgadis-san, I mean."  
  
Xelloss picked up a knife and tested it against his thumb. "Who knows?"  
  
he shrugged. "Maybe he just wants some fresh air." Dark grin flashing across  
  
his face briefly, he stabbed down into his plate, impaling whatever it was  
  
that was supposedly for breakfast. It made a little squeaky noise, squirming  
  
on the end of his knife, then jerked twice and died. As Amelia dropped her  
  
fork with a clatter, he bit into it. "Juicy," he commented, mouth full.  
  
As Amelia turned green and Lina hit Xelloss repeatedly, Gourry watched  
  
Zelgadis's progress to the middle of the courtyard. "Hey, I don't think--"  
  
he began worriedly as Zelgadis drew his sword. "I don't think that's a good  
  
sign..."  
  
"Eh?" Lina stopped hitting Xelloss with a chair and looked out the  
  
window as well, seeing Zelgadis raise his blade and place the tip against  
  
his chest. "L-sama! He's trying to--"   
  
"Mm." Xelloss followed their gazes, absently picking the Surprise of  
  
the Day's foot out of a tooth. "Oh." He shrugged dismissively.  
  
Lina shook him. "Damn you!" she cried. "This is all your fault!!"  
  
"My f--"  
  
"We have to stop him!"  
  
Expression suddenly cold, Xelloss shook Lina's hands off his shirt. "I  
  
don't think you need to worry," he said darkly, jerking a thumb towards the  
  
window without looking himself. "He's not going to get far like that."  
  
"But..." Lina turned to look and saw metal shards flying as Zelgadis  
  
attempted to stab himself repeatedly in the chest, expression rapidly growing  
  
more and more frustrated as it did little more than make rips in his shirt. (B9)   
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yes, 'oh'," Xelloss mocked. "I think you forget precisely what he's made  
  
of."  
  
Outside, Zelgadis threw the remains of his sword down in anger, and began  
  
stalking back towards the inn.  
  
Gourry met him at the door. "Gee, Zelgadis, we were so worried! We  
  
thought you were going to--"  
  
The chimera snatched the Hikari no Ken from Gourry's belt. "You can have  
  
it back in a few minutes," he said calmly and headed out the door again.  
  
"GOURRY!" Lina shrieked. "YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN HIM THAT!!!"   
  
"But I didn't--"  
  
Ignoring them all, Lina dashed out just as Zelgadis pulled out the   
  
light blade. "Zelgadis! Don't!"  
  
"Go away," Zelgadis told her calmly. "Fireball!"  
  
She threw herself to the side, dodging it. "Zel!" Wiping dust from  
  
her eyes, she strode forward as Zelgadis raised the blade.  
  
Only to have it taken away by a hand that appeared out of the air.   
  
Zelgadis snatched at it and Xelloss phazed in completely, flying back.   
  
"No."  
  
"Xelloss--" Zelgadis said pleadingly.  
  
"Listen to me, Zel. No."  
  
The chimera met his gaze and they remained like that for almost  
  
a minute. Then Zelgadis ducked his head, hair shadowing his eyes.  
  
"Excuse me. I'd like to be alone for a while."  
  
Lina shook her head violently. "No way! Not after you--"  
  
"I'm not going to try to kill myself," Zelgadis said bitterly.  
  
"Don't worry. I just want to think."  
  
"Let him," Xelloss said. "It's the truth."  
  
They watched as Zelgadis walked to the inn gates and stood, looking  
  
along the road.  
  
"Well," the trickster priest said cheerfully, "might as well finish  
  
breakfast!"  
  
Nobody heard him.  
  
***  
  
"It's a strange world,  
  
It's a very strange world,"  
  
Why?  
  
Oh gods, why did they have to know? What had been wrong with him  
  
that he hadn't remembered Lina walking in? It was certainly the type of  
  
thing one would expect to stick in your mind!  
  
Zelgadis let out a huff of breath. Think. Think. Never get   
  
anywhere by not thinking, he mentally repeated, his usual mantra.  
  
Not get into what he didn't remember. Get into what he did  
  
remember.  
  
//Gourry's mother's calm statement at the table and Xelloss leading  
  
me up the stairs as my mind freezes with shock.  
  
Xelloss, looking me up and down with a worried expression as  
  
I try not to break into tears. Holding me. The dark gem on his staff  
  
cool against my leg even through the fabric of my pants. Saying something  
  
about it being easier for him to be the bad guy in this situation.//  
  
And that was where it began to get fuzzy.  
  
No! He wouldn't do that! Zelgadis put a hand against the gate to  
  
steady himself.  
  
Stupid. Of course he would. He might even think he was doing the  
  
right thing.  
  
L-sama. Gods above and below.  
  
And this on top of his dream... if it had BEEN a dream. Maybe...  
  
maybe Xelloss didn't...  
  
No. That wasn't right. If he even doubted Xelloss's feelings for  
  
him, all he had to do was remember that time back on Wolf Pack Island when  
  
he'd seen into Xelloss's mind. It was just that, even then, Xelloss was  
  
a damn manipulative bastard.  
  
Still, he might have thought he was doing the right thing.  
  
And somehow, I have to deal with all this.  
  
Zelgadis shut his eyes. "I'd known it was going to happen someday,"  
  
he whispered aloud. He just hadn't expected them to find out so soon... he  
  
wasn't ready...  
  
But what could he do? It had happened. And... he wasn't going to  
  
betray Xelloss by taking any of the easy ways out. He'd chosen this.  
  
And he had to learn to deal with the consequences.  
  
***  
  
"That leaves me holding on to nothing  
  
when there's nothing left to lose."  
  
"You know... last night," Chris began awkwardly as they looked  
  
down the long road ahead. "...you didn't have... to do that."  
  
Luna shrugged, smile lingering around her lips. "Yeah. I know.  
  
But I did, didn't I?"  
  
The other waitress nodded, lump in her throat as she tried to   
  
speak. "Yes... you did. I don't know why... but Luna-san... you see...  
  
waitressing's... really the only thing I know. I didn't really expect  
  
you to decide to... take me on this trip of yours..."  
  
The Cepheed Knight tugged on Chris's wrist. "Which reminds me,  
  
we gotta get on our way or we won't get to a good sleeping place on time."  
  
She began to walk, tugging Chris behind her.  
  
"B... but I really shouldn't. Go, I mean. I'll just slow you   
  
d.. down," Chris stuttered. "I don't know anything about travelling! I'll  
  
just find another inn... and start working there. It'll... be okay, right?"  
  
Snickering was the last thing she expected to hear from her   
  
companion. "You know, Chris, with that attitude, you're not going to   
  
GET another job. You gotta be aggressive sometimes. Besides, waitressing's  
  
only good for a part-time job. Don't ever keep it on as a full one, or you  
  
grow dependant, and it's not really got good retirement rates."  
  
"Is it a part-time job for you?" Chris asked.  
  
"You could say that." Luna shook her head, smiling oddly. "Anyway,  
  
you're with me, now. I kinda live a busy life. And you owe me, right?"  
  
Chris dropped her head. "I guess."  
  
"So stick around." Luna changed the subject. "'Chris' is a nice  
  
name. What's it short for? Christine? Christa?"  
  
She made a face. "Worse."  
  
"Cristabel?"  
  
"...Chrisanthimum."  
  
Luna glanced over at her... or Chris assumed she did, but her eyes  
  
were, as always, hidden beneath her bangs. "Chrisanthimum?" she asked   
  
mildly.  
  
Chris coloured. "It's a terrible name," she muttered. "For one  
  
thing, Mother can't spell. For another, she called me that because she  
  
met my father in a field of..."  
  
"Ah." Luna nodded. "Could be worse." She didn't elaborate. "So  
  
which one was it? Mother or father?"  
  
The blonde girl jerked to a halt, heart thudding in her throat. Oh  
  
gods, she knows... how does she know?! "I don't know what you mean," she   
  
said tensely.  
  
Luna was still smiling. "The R... the Dragon. Which was it?   
  
Your mother or your father?"  
  
Gods... godsgodsgods. "Father," Chris said shortly. "Mother says  
  
that when she... when they met, she didn't know he was a monster. Didn't  
  
even know until she had me and I wasn't normal."  
  
"Not monster," Luna corrected. "Ryuzoku. Dragon."  
  
She has no right to make fun of my life like this! "Monster, Dragon,  
  
both the same thing, right?"  
  
To Chris's complete and utter surprise, Luna broke into laughter.  
  
"Some of them!" she choked. "I'd describe some of them like that...! But...  
  
Chris-chan, they're thinking beings just like you and me. By Cepheed, what  
  
I wouldn't give to see the looks on the faces if you said that to them...  
  
You would be such a bee in a hornet's nest!" She clutched at her stomach  
  
as she laughed. "'monsters...' Can just imagine what those old Ka-Ryu  
  
farts would think of that... I SO have to introduce you to them!"  
  
"What?" Chris asked, completely lost. "Who? I don't understand!"  
  
Luna slapped her on the back hard enough that she stumbled. "You  
  
stick with me, girl. You and me, ne? I can probably even find your father  
  
if you'd like."  
  
"Look..." Chris said desperately, still trying to figure out what was  
  
going on. "Who ARE you?"  
  
Taking advantage of Chris's confusion to grab the half-Ryuzoku's wrist  
  
and drag her further along, Luna just laughed. "Stupid. I'm Luna Inverse.  
  
What else do I need to be?"  
  
***  
  
"We're walking hand in hand,  
  
We'll walk this way forever."  
  
They all looked up as Zelgadis walked in. "Zel?" Lina asked.  
  
He glanced around at all of them briefly. "It's only a day's   
  
walk to Zefilia, right?"  
  
N-kun nodded immediately. "That's right!" he said excitedly. "Just  
  
a little further! And then we're there!"   
  
"Right," Zelgadis said quietly. "Let's get going and not waste time,  
  
okay?"  
  
Nakoku cheered, pushed his breakfast to the other side of the table  
  
where it curled up in a sunbeam and slept, and he started tugging at Guntair's  
  
pant leg. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"  
  
"Are you sure?" Lina asked softly. "I really think we should talk..."  
  
"We can talk on the road," Zelgadis said. He caught Xelloss's eye.  
  
"I have to talk to someone too."  
  
Xelloss ducked his head. "Meet you all outside." He phazed out.  
  
Lina paid off the innkeeper, and they all filed out, Lina and Zelgadis  
  
a little behind the others. "Zel..."  
  
"I think I can guess what you're going to say," Zelgadis murmured.  
  
"You're going to ask how we got together, am I happy with this, what the  
  
hell's wrong with me that I'd be with Xelloss, am I being manipulated by  
  
him... et cetera, et cetera."  
  
The sorceress didn't meet his eyes. "Yeah, that's about it."  
  
"I'm not sure what I can say."  
  
"Well... when did this happen?" Lina asked quietly. "When? How  
  
long has it been going on?"  
  
Zelgadis kicked absently at a stone. "When what? When did we  
  
become... become lovers? When did I fall in love?" She opened her mouth  
  
to speak and he caught her eye. "I am, Lina. Damned if I know how, but..."  
  
Lina looked away. "Both, I guess."  
  
"Both." Zelgadis sighed. "Well... I don't actually know when I  
  
started... feeling things." This was an extremely uncomfortable topic for  
  
him. "I suppose... hell, I don't know. I know I didn't start THINKING  
  
about it until we reached Amberton. For some reason... I decided to see  
  
if I could research Xelloss. Amelia walked in while I was doing so and  
  
saw what I was reading. We talked. Amelia told me she thought Xelloss was  
  
in love with me. I denied it strongly. We talked some more. She left  
  
in tears. Next thing I know, I'm actually thinking about it. What I  
  
feel. Damned if I want to think about it, but I've managed to train   
  
myself before to separate emotions from thought. So I thought. And  
  
I admitted it to myself." (B10)  
  
"Say it, Zel," Lina said. "I still really can't believe this."  
  
Did he really have to say it again? Yes, obviously. "I admitted  
  
I was in love with Xelloss. Next thing I know, Xelloss is there and we  
  
are talking about our pasts."  
  
Lina snorted.  
  
"It's true."  
  
"What ABOUT his past?"  
  
Zelgadis hesitated. "I don't know if I can tell you... they're not  
  
my secrets to keep."  
  
"Ok," Lina agreed. "Go on."  
  
Go on. Damn it, why wouldn't she just leave him alone? "Things   
  
happen. We get... mind-linked."  
  
"You've got to be joking."  
  
"Why the hell would I do that?"  
  
Lina nodded. "Point."  
  
"So we get mind-linked. Stupid, stupid Zelgadis," he mocked himself.  
  
"I kiss him. He gets this really weird look on his face and goes away. You  
  
two show up under the mistaken impression that I raped Amelia. You know  
  
that story, at any rate. He comes back a while after you're gone. I...  
  
well, I won't get into details but things get rather ... uh... confusing (B11)  
  
for a while. Xelloss disappears for a few hours. When he returns, he  
  
asks if he can kidnap me. Stupid, stupid Zelgadis. I agree."  
  
The sorceress nodded again. "You explained that part..."  
  
"Yeah. Well, you pretty much know up until the point he does. He  
  
takes me back to his island. I meet his master. We talk for a long time.  
  
Several days, actually."  
  
"And then?" (B12)  
  
Oh gods. He couldn't answer that. "And then answer to the other   
  
question of when things happened."  
  
Lina blinked. "Wh--" //When what? When did we become... become  
  
lovers?// Her eyes widened. "Oh... oh yeah. Uh."  
  
Zelgadis coughed, embarrassed.  
  
Long, uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Zelgadis?"  
  
"Uh."  
  
"I hate to have to ask this, but..." Lina hesitated. "I have it  
  
on the best authority, from someone who should know, that Mazoku are born  
  
to be manipulative and are damned good at it. Zel... do you think... Xelloss  
  
could be taking advantage of... of your... feelings to his own end and  
  
doesn't give a damn for you at all?"  
  
Immediately, Zelgadis shook his head. "No. I know that isn't   
  
true."  
  
"But can you be sure? Look at it without emotion..."  
  
Again, Zelgadis shook his head. "Lina... I was mind-linked to him  
  
still when he told me that... that he... that he loved me."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So I know it's true, okay? I know it very intimately." Ignoring  
  
completely that we were mind-liked the first time we... Zelgadis blushed  
  
and cut off that thought.  
  
Lina looked at the ground as they walked. "Well... I just find  
  
it hard to believe," she admitted. "I mean... it's Xelloss. No offense,  
  
Zel, but to be frank, he's a real bastard."  
  
"I know," Zelgadis agreed, and then, hardly believing he was saying  
  
it aloud, "But the point is, he's MY bastard."  
  
That brought a blush to Lina's cheeks. "You just don't seem right  
  
for each other. I'm sorry, but you don't."  
  
Zelgadis shrugged.  
  
"I want to talk to Xelloss too," she told him.  
  
"That might not be a good idea."  
  
Lina quirked an eyebrow. "Why not?"  
  
"It's Xelloss. Why do you think?"  
  
She sighed. "I know. It will be like pulling teeth."  
  
"Either that or you'll hear things that you won't want to hear." (B13)  
  
Gods, he could just hear Xelloss now, getting into the details and freaking  
  
Lina out...  
  
"So I hit him with a few well-placed fireballs," Lina shrugged.  
  
"No problem with that, right?"  
  
The chimera didn't voice his answer. Hell, yes, a problem. It'll  
  
make him as horny as hell and we're in company! His eyebrows creased.  
  
And I really need to talk seriously with him, not fight off wandering hands.  
  
Damn. But I guess I'll have to deal...  
  
***  
  
"Our eyes have risen to the water's edge,  
  
watching with the tides."  
  
  
  
"Xelloss."   
  
The Mazoku popped up beside her, giving her a brief moment of fright  
  
before the anger set in. "Ne, ne, Lina-san. You want to talk to me?"  
  
She tried to calm her anger. "Yes, I do."  
  
"So, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"I think you know what I want to talk about."  
  
He chuckled. "Useless answer. Almost as bad as, 'if you don't  
  
know, I'm not going to tell you'. Let's see, what are you angry with  
  
me about?" He held up fingers and ticked things off. "Your position   
  
as Knight of Shabrinigido? My annoyingness? My rooming you with Gourry  
  
way back? My curing Amelia? My..."  
  
Lina cut in. "Zelgadis."  
  
He tilted his head. "What about Zelgadis."  
  
"Don't give me that," she snorted. "I want to know if you're just  
  
playing with him."  
  
"Of course I'm playing with him," he said, as though to a child. "I'm  
  
me. I play with everyone and everything. But that wasn't the question,  
  
was it?"  
  
She thought for a moment. "I can't expect YOU not to play... but  
  
are you *just* playing with him? Are you using him, his feelings?"  
  
"Well..." Xelloss crossed his legs in the air. "I'd be lying if  
  
I said yes and I'd be lying if I said no."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
He chuckled. "Why, Lina-san, I think you know exactly what I mean.  
  
Must I spell it out? I'm playing with him, I'm using him... but not in  
  
the way you might think. But then again, you think I'm using everyone,  
  
don't you? So there's no surprise there."  
  
She shrugged. "You're Mazoku. Mazoku manipulate people."  
  
"Right," he agreed. "It's what we are. Nobody can be expected   
  
to act against their nature. But how do you want to know if I'm manipulating  
  
him?"  
  
"Are you making him think you love him?"  
  
"Yes," Xelloss agreed again. Just as the look of grim distaste  
  
settled in on her face, he added, smiling, "But that doesn't mean it isn't  
  
true. In fact, making someone think the truth is quite a good thing,  
  
right?"  
  
The sorceress tried not to grind her teeth. "Do you love him?"  
  
Suddenly, he was right in front of her. "Why? You keep asking.  
  
I have no doubt Zelgadis has already told you he's been in my mind.   
  
You can't lie to someone you're in direct mindlink with, it's simply  
  
too intimate. It's just that you don't believe in love, isn't it?"  
  
She crossed her arms. "Of course I believe in love! Just look  
  
at Amelia and Guntair. They're in love. How could I not believe in  
  
love?"  
  
"Because you deny it in yourself," Xelloss chuckled. "I look  
  
at you and I can tell. You know love but you refuse to comprehend it.  
  
You ignore the people you hurt because of that. Just look at him."  
  
The Mazoku waved a hand towards Gourry. "Following you everywhere like  
  
a lovesick puppy. Called you back from the embrace of Our Great Mother.  
  
And will you grant him a thought in his direction? No. You refuse to  
  
think about it." He took hold of her chin between his thumb and forefinger.  
  
"Love brings only pain, isn't that how it goes, Lina-san? Hurt to you?  
  
You think you're saving him greater pain but you refuse to see how you're  
  
killing him with your denials." He laughed. "You think you have your  
  
heart hidden so well, Lina-san. But you don't. I admit I don't know  
  
the source of your little fear. However, I can make a wild guess at  
  
who does. After all, it's the only person you fear enough to send you  
  
into almost spasms. She knows whatever it was that happened, doesn't  
  
she?"  
  
Lina jerked her head away. "Don't touch me," she spat. "You  
  
don't know anything. You think you know so much about me!"  
  
"And I do, don't I?" Xelloss's smile was wide. "Even now, you  
  
are denying it. Keep on, Lina. Keep on hurting him and yourself.  
  
After all, I only stand to benefit, don't I?"  
  
She glared at him for a moment longer and walked up beside Amelia,  
  
jaw tight with anger. Amelia stared at her, eyes wide.  
  
Xelloss didn't stop watching her as Zelgadis came up beside him.  
  
"What did you do to her?"  
  
"I showed her herself. And she didn't like it."  
  
"Xelloss."  
  
The Mazoku turned and smiled cutely at Zelgadis. "Yes?"  
  
"I know what you did, days ago." Zelgadis sighed. "Don't ever  
  
do that again."  
  
Reaching out to touch Zelgadis's hair, Xelloss absently asked,  
  
"Do what?"  
  
Zelgadis gritted his teeth. "Put me in whatever hypnosis or whatever  
  
it was that you did. Problems don't go away by shoving them under or by  
  
making a person forget... if something is truly wrong, a person has to  
  
deal with it, not just ignore it. If I need your help in dealing,  
  
I'll ask for it."  
  
"I see." Xelloss tilted his head up to the sky, shielding his eyes  
  
from the sun. "You're angry."  
  
"Yes, I am." The chimera shook his head. "I know you probably   
  
only intended the best. But you could have asked me."  
  
The Mazoku snorted. "You weren't in much shape to be asked."  
  
"Then you should have waited." Zelgadis sighed again. "But I  
  
expect such things from you. When trying to think about what to say to  
  
you, I had intended to ask you to think first... but you don't do anything  
  
without thinking it through first, do you?"  
  
Xelloss chuckled.  
  
"See? There you could have answered, but you chose not to. You  
  
have your own reasons, no doubt. It's just... I feel a little used."   
  
Zelgadis struggled to find the right words. "Frankly... I'd rather not  
  
know why you did that, whether to make me feel better, to make yourself  
  
to seem the bad guy, or for one of your many ulterior motives. I just  
  
don't want you to play with my mind."  
  
"I can't promise anything," Xelloss told him, opening his eyes.  
  
"There are times when I might be ordered to, and I cannot disobey that.  
  
You're wrong, I don't always think everything through, and it might be  
  
one of those cases. But..." Xelloss smiled again. "I'll try. Ne?  
  
So cheer up. Genki, genki!" He reached out in an attempt to tickle  
  
the chimera.  
  
Zelgadis sidestepped. "You're hopeless."  
  
***  
  
"The stars have fallen to another day  
  
And the sun warms our path"  
  
"We're here!" As Lina announced it, Nakoku felt something inside  
  
him draw tight with recognition. Yes. They were here.   
  
Zefilia.  
  
A bright flash of gold filled his vision, and he stumbled, being  
  
caught by Guntair absently. "Watch your step, N-kun! The road is a  
  
little bumpy."  
  
He could feel it. Damn. He had been hoping this would be the last  
  
stop, but it seemed like it was just another stone on the path. So  
  
far to go. Reaching for the spot of gold inside him, he sent out a tired  
  
query. Where now?  
  
And he knew. The Black Valley. Koku no Tani. So that was why he  
  
was travelling with these people... not to merely Zefilia. The whole way.  
  
Why couldn't his journey just end?  
  
Because it wasn't over yet, he sighed to himself, then turned to  
  
Guntair, tugging on his pant leg. "Ne, ne, Guntair-kun! Can I come with  
  
you to your home? I wanna meet the dragons!"  
  
Guntair tilted his head curiously. "Wasn't this where you were trying  
  
to go? I thought you had family here or something..."  
  
Nakoku sniffled. "Actually... my family's... dead. I thought that  
  
returning home might... make me feel better, but... but I don't want to! I  
  
don't want to stay in the place where I lost so many people! I don't want  
  
to!" He broke into a wail of tears. Whatever worked.  
  
The Black Dragon put his arms around Nakoku. "I'm so sorry... we  
  
didn't realize. Yeah, you can come with us. Right, guys?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
And the road went on.  
  
***  
  
"To find that reason leaves us far behind  
  
in our strange world."  
  
"Mou... Luna-san..." Chris gasped, stopping to breathe. "How much...  
  
further... are you going to... go tonight?"  
  
The strange waitress -- although Chris was beginning to get the   
  
impression that she was actually much more than that -- turned back with  
  
a grin, eyes shadowed by her bangs as always. "We... are going to the   
  
Koku no Tani tonight."  
  
Chris shook her head. "The what? I've never heard of that. Where  
  
is it?"   
  
Pulling a map out of her tiny carry-all, the waitress held it up,  
  
letting it unroll and pointed at a spot about three quarters down. "We  
  
are here." She moved her finger decisively to a small gap in a mountain range  
  
at the bottom of the map. "Here is the Koku no Tani."  
  
"That's impossible!" Chris's voice broke at the thought. "It... it..."  
  
She stopped, mouth still moving but unable to find the words.  
  
Luna snickered. "It would be impossible if we were taking a normal  
  
route, like the roads, yeah. It would be at least a trip of, oh, five  
  
weeks. If we managed to beg rides and didn't have to stop to get work  
  
to feed us. However, you see that hill up ahead? Beyond that is the  
  
city-state of Zefilia." Her customary smirk hung off her lips again. "I  
  
came from there, and my house has a permanent magical gate structure to all the major  
  
Dragon populations."  
  
Brows creasing, Chris felt her suspicions grow. "Why?"  
  
"'Cause it's useful," Luna shrugged. "I've also got a few gates  
  
to other places, but they're not important right now. It should be about  
  
two hours before we reach the 'Tani."  
  
"Two hours? I thought you said the city was just over the hill. Does  
  
the magic take that long to take effect? To set up?"  
  
Briefly, Luna shook her head. "'s not that. You see, there's someone--"  
  
she hesitated, as though checking something, then resumed, "someone who   
  
will be using it first and if she senses that someone's been there in a   
  
while, she won't want to use the gates, 'cause she and I are the only ones  
  
who can get in through the lock spell. So to meet up with her properly,  
  
I have to go in after her. Ne?"  
  
Again, Chris felt she was missing something important. "Who? Why  
  
would she try to avoid you? How come she can get into your house?"  
  
"It's her house, too," Luna said dryly. "She's not very   
  
comfortable around me, but tough for her. Right?" Luna grabbed  
  
her arm. "Come on, Lina just unlocked the door. Looks to be less time then  
  
I predicted. Let's go!"  
  
"Lina?"  
  
Dragging her forward, Luna's grin widened. "My little sister."  
  
***  
  
"It's a strange world,  
  
It's a very strange world,"  
  
"Oneesan?" Lina whispered, hurriedly casting a look around to see  
  
if anything had changed. Nothing had, except a note dated a year and a   
  
half ago was tacked to the other side of the door.   
  
Before she could get to it, Xelloss had yanked it down and was   
  
reading it aloud. "'When you pass by next, just want you to know you did  
  
an okay job with the Golds and the prophecy thing. See you, from your  
  
sister.'" He raised his head, smiling. "It's dated a year and a half ago."  
  
"DO YOU MIND?!" Lina shrieked, grabbing the letter, then dropping  
  
it as though it burned her. "LEAVE IT ALONE YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S BEEN!"  
  
She shivered, running her hands over her arms as if cold, and walked a good  
  
distance around the discarded letter. "L.. let's go, everyone."   
  
"Ne, shouldn't you leave a note for your sister?" Guntair asked.  
  
Another shudder racked Lina's body. "You should just be thankful she's  
  
not here." Shaking off her chills, she headed decisively for the stairs.   
  
"Come on."  
  
"Where are we going?" Amelia asked.   
  
"O... oneesan has a whole bunch of permanent gate spells set up   
  
upstairs and I figure the Koku no Tani would be there too..."  
  
  
  
Guntair blinked. "Why would it? I don't think it's that well known..."  
  
Lina cast him a Look that made him recoil and wish he'd never brought  
  
it up. "It'll be there. It'll just take time to find it."  
  
***  
  
"That leaves me hanging on to nothing  
  
when there's nothing left to lose..."  
  
It actually only took an hour before Guntair once again felt the  
  
cool wind of his past on his skin, and smelled the combination of smells that  
  
he hadn't felt for years and years. He felt like he'd been given a shot   
  
of a potent drug, spirits flying immediately. "We're here!" he yelped,  
  
trying not to laugh giddily. "We're here!"  
  
Home.   
  
How many years...?  
  
He picked Lina up and hugged her; she was exhausted from reawakening  
  
her sister's gate and only protested feebly when he squeezed and then dropped her,  
  
spinning to pick Amelia up and spin her round and round. "We're here!"  
  
Catching sight of a familiar feature, he pointed it out. "The  
  
Black Guardhouse!" It was really little more than a rocky outcropping  
  
in the form of a gate at the valley entrance. "That's the official  
  
way into the Koku no Tani!" Excitedly, he started towards it.  
  
Gourry slid an arm around Lina's shoulders, carefully supporting her  
  
as if worried she might break. She leaned into him as they followed the   
  
others.   
  
They arrived at the Black Guardhouse and a long, black dragon head  
  
snaked around the corner, long scar along one cheek. "None may pass or  
  
enter!" it barked immediately.  
  
The face clicked in Guntair's mind. "Mabu-chan?"  
  
Eyes squinting, the Black Dragon guard looked at him, not recognizing  
  
him. Suddenly, his gaze ran along the length of Guntair's sword and his  
  
jaw dropped, the large creature visibly stunned. "Gun-chan? Is that you?"  
  
Guntair nodded, unable to keep his huge grin from bursting across  
  
his features again. "Uh-huh! I'm back!"  
  
"Gun-chan!" Mabu shook his head on it's long neck. "I'd hug you,  
  
but I'd crush you as you are now... how have you BEEN?"  
  
The swordsman shrugged wryly. "Not that great for most of it...  
  
but things are much better now." He waved at the others. "These are my  
  
friends, and this," he pulled Amelia close, "is my girlfriend, Amelia."  
  
Amelia wiggled her fingers at the huge dragon.  
  
"Uh, Gun-chan? Why does she have Mazoku taint?"  
  
Guntair sweatdropped. "That's kind of a long story... but it's only  
  
mild taint! She helped me get away from Yume and the others helped kill  
  
her!"  
  
"That's great!" Mabu enthused. "Even..." he looked even more uncertain.  
  
"Even if a few of the others got Mazoku-taint-auras too and two're   
  
completely human... and the last... is... a... Gun-chan, why are you   
  
travelling with a Greater Mazoku?"  
  
"Nice to meet you too," Xelloss grinned.  
  
"That's an even longer story. I don't like him much but he HAS helped  
  
out some," Guntair admitted begrudgingly.   
  
Xelloss fell backward into the air, as if stunned, hand clutched over  
  
his heard. "Aw, Gun-kun! That's so sweet! That has to be the nicest thing  
  
you've ever said to me!"  
  
"Don't push it. So, Mabu-chan, you're going to let us in, right? I  
  
have to see everyone and..." he hesitated. "And mother..."  
  
Mabu's face moved in a way that could possibly be regret. "Sorry, Gun-  
  
chan, but I can't let you in. Nobody can go in or out without authorization.  
  
I'm really sorry, but you'll have to wait until I go off duty so I can get  
  
someone to see if they'll authorize you to come in... and even then, I don't  
  
think they'll let your friends in. They're too suspicious."  
  
Lina protested feebly. "Come on! If it wasn't for us he wouldn't  
  
be here!"  
  
"Look, I'm sorry!" Mabu said defensively. "But without proper  
  
authorization I can't--"  
  
"I authorize them."   
  
They all turned at this new voice to see the Cepheed Knight standing  
  
there in all her glory, waitress's skirt blowing indecently in the wind  
  
and terrified blond girl peeking out from behind her. Mabu ducked his  
  
head and started babbling something about not wanting to cause offense.  
  
To his amazement, through the layer of shock at seeing the source  
  
of legends, Guntair saw Lina fall to her knees with a wail of despair.  
  
"Oneesan! Forgive me, Oneesan! I didn't... I'm sorry I ever... Oneesan..."  
  
She was visibly shaking.  
  
Luna Inverse smiled.  
  
END FAMILY TRILOGY! To be continued in the last trilogy in the Powers  
  
timeline, the FOE trilogy.  
  
The Writer's and Beta reader's notes! Now compiled with handy little references  
  
back for your reading pleasure!  
  
'"It's only a few more kilometers until we get   
  
to the farmhouse...."'  
  
W1: Dead giveaway I'm Canadian, at least.  
  
B1: Gourry knows what a Kilometer is?  
  
'Xelloss laughed. "Aah, this is what the wolves have become?"'   
  
B2: Xelloss: *nostalgic* Y'know pup, I ran with your great-great-  
  
great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother; we even   
  
shared an innocent trespasser once... *sigh*  
  
W- Why, in my day, they didn't have sheep. They had wild  
  
goats, but no sheep. And we had to hunt five miles through the   
  
freezing snow just to catch them. Uphill. Both ways.  
  
'...she took Lina's cloak, almost dropping it, but catching it in time.   
  
Bags of gold clinked.'   
  
B3:...And jewels and magic circles and direction-finding orbs and a   
  
deck of cards with polygons on them and cursed daggers (did she ever   
  
get rid of that?) and the odd orihalcon containing powerful magic   
  
amplifiers...  
  
W- Polygons? I thought they were pentagrams with pentacles in  
  
them...?  
  
'"...I don't think you should go up there. You'll just embarrass   
  
them and yourself."'  
  
B4: Can we say 'foreshadowing', boys and girls?  
  
W- Foreshadowing!  
  
'"Whatever. Where's that room?"'  
  
B5: Right beside Zel & Xel's. So even if you can't hear anything, the   
  
vibrations from the bed moving around next door and the bursts of magic  
  
are sure to keep you up... Happy migraine, Lina-san.  
  
'"ARRGH! IF THERE'S AN UNLIKELIER COUPLE, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE!"'  
  
W3: Cepheed in his sleep, "Atchoo!" The remaining 6 sealed parts of  
  
Shabrinigido, "Atchoo!"  
  
'"...Just... I have this feeling there's much more coming.  
  
So... be careful. That's all. Just promise me."'  
  
B6: Now what was that word boys and girls?  
  
W- FORESHADOWING! YAY!  
  
'"Just because people don't hear about it [Mazoku in love], doesn't mean it doesn't  
  
happen."'  
  
B7: Yeah, 'cause the other Mazoku probably think they're weak and kill   
  
them for it, or torture their loved ones for fun...  
  
W- It's this never-ending cycle thing. Even Mazoku who are in love don't  
  
want people to know it and so kill (and/or torture loved ones) them for it,  
  
hoping that nobody will find out about them...  
  
'//"...Don't lose yourself," he whispered as the tears of blood flowed   
  
down his face. "Xel, whatever you do, don't--//   
  
B8: That word again, children?  
  
W- Sex! I mean, FORESHADOWING!  
  
'...expression rapidly growing more and more frustrated as it did   
  
little more than make rips in his shirt.'  
  
B9: Bye bye, shirt. That's, what, his third?  
  
W - Well, let's see. There's the one Zel ripped off in Beyond,  
  
there's the one that Xelloss burned off in Strains, and there's this one.  
  
Yep. He and Guntair go through more clothes than a Valley Girl.  
  
'"...So I thought. And I admitted it to myself."   
  
B10: Hate and love, two sides of the same coin...  
  
W- Take that, hippies! BWA HA HA HA HA!  
  
'"...things get rather ... uh... confusing..."'  
  
B11: Read as steamy...  
  
W- Gee, Xelloss and Zelgadis were just crawling all over  
  
each other. I don't know why you'd say THAT was steamy...  
  
'"We talk for a long time. Several days, actually."  
  
"And then?"'   
  
B12: And then I discovered that deep purple, slit-pupiled eyes were   
  
an incredible turn on.  
  
W- Gee, should I bring that up more often?  
  
"Either that or you'll hear things that you won't want to hear."  
  
B13: One more time kids, that word?  
  
W - FORESHADOWING! Yes, I DID study the 'Five elements of storytelling'  
  
handout in English class...  
  
The lyrics are from "Possession" and "Strange World" by Sarah McLachlan.   
  
I don't have the copyright for this either. Would it help to say I'm   
  
sorry? Please don't sue me... Nor you, wonderful creaters of  
  
Slayers. This is meant as a complement! Though not well-written enough  
  
by half.. 


	8. Invisable Bindings

POWERS OF HEART AND SOUL - FOE TRILOGY part 1- Invisible Bindings  
  
(Betaread by Ishiki)  
  
(Ishiki: Or, 'The Part That Took A Very Long Time To Write, And Here It Is, So Stop Sending Me Death Threats'?)  
  
In which confusion as to who exactly are the GOOD GUYS HERE reigns, Xelloss gets tortured (ooh, torture...), and Lina has to learn that sometimes you have to just accept things. And, oh yeah, Xelloss ends up telling some people a couple of things. But this IS Xelloss...  
  
Ishiki: Well, he doesn't tell them much, since-(following comment deleted for spoiler content). Aw, shucks, I've been censored.  
  
NOTE: It's come to my attention that Zel isn't really part Mazoku, he's something called a Blue Demon. However, 6 parts have already gone by on the assumption that he's part Mazoku. As this storyline cannot happen in the normal Slayers world anyway, it's obvious a slightly alternate universe fic. Therefore, one of the few differences from the normal Slayers world is that Rezo made him of part Mazoku, not part Blue Demon. Kay? Also, anti-Mazoku wards come into play. The reason they don't really effect Zel when he touches them is that he barely touches them for   
  
long, and the certain functions aren't really applicable, and his nature is not pure Mazoku. It's a combination of the three. So, anyway...  
  
I don't own Slayers: they belong to Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi, and a lot of other people I am massively jealous of. The song is "Do What you Have to Do" by Sarah McLachlan, and I don't own that either. Don't sue me, please. I have to save up for the rest of NEXT and GenCon next year...  
  
"What ravages of spirit  
  
Conjured this tempest rage?"  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
//OhgodsnonotherL-samasavemehelpmesomebodyhelpme!//  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
//It'sherI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie!Forgiveme!//  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
//Somebodyhelp!Ican'tdealwiththis!Help!HELP!//  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
Lina sank to her knees, barely feeling the mud soaking into  
  
her pants.  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
//No.No.No.No.No.No.No...//  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
Luna looked at her. It didn't matter that her eyes were hidden in shadow, Lina knew that her older sister was looking at her. She whimpered.  
  
//Isshegoingtotell?Itwasn'tmyfault!Iswear!Ok,sothebaththingwas[A1] butnottheotherthing!HELPME!//  
  
Thump-thump.  
  
Then Luna raised a hand and wiggled her fingers. "Hi, Lina-chan. Long time no see."  
  
Lina fainted, falling to her side in the dusty, dry ground..  
  
***  
  
"Created you a monster.  
  
Broken by the rule of love."  
  
Guntair watched the Cepheed Knight in awe. It didn't matter that he'd never met her, didn't matter that he'd been in captivity when she had clearly been chosen. He Knew that this was the Cepheed Knight. It was ingrained somewhere below conscious but above sub-conscious. Mabu knew too, clearly, as the awe in his eyes reflected the awe in his own. He barely even noticed as Lina fell over, other than the fact it made the Knight frown. And then...  
  
All of his beliefs shattered as Xelloss flung himself at the Cepheed Knight and hugged her. [B1] "Luna-chan! It's been a while!"   
  
He could have lived through that. It would have been okay. If only the Knight hadn't replied. "Xelloss-chan! [A2] You can say that again!"  
  
Mabu took a large step forward. "Knight-sama! That's a Greater Mazoku! Don't go near him!"  
  
Luna chuckled. "Oh, come come, Xelloss and I are old..." she paused, and waved a hand as if looking for the word, smacking the blonde girl behind her in the nose. "...friends?" she ventured.  
  
Guntair felt his mouth dry up completely. Cepheed above... it couldn't be... "Friends?" he croaked as Mabu struggled to get up off the ground.  
  
"Friends," Xelloss replied, leering. The Knight of Cepheed hit him lightly over the head.  
  
"Just friends," she told them dismissively. "Now, are we--"  
  
Xelloss laughed and slapped her lightly on the back. "And what friends! Do you remember that time that you lent me your clothes and I actually made it into the Citadel before a Ryuzoku Miko passed by and sensed me? Wasn't that great?!"  
  
Mabu goggled. "You lent a Greater Mazoku your clothes so he could sneak into a --"  
  
The Cepheed Knight coughed and hit Xelloss again. "Ixnay on the rankspray," [A3] she told him softly. "Anyway, I--"  
  
"Oh, and Juuou-sama is mad that you haven't been by for a while." [B2]  
  
"I've been busy," she defended herself. "And I think Xellas-chan knows why."  
  
"Xellas-CHAN?!" Mabu yelped, awfully high-pitched for a full-sized Dragon. "You refer to the evil dark lord Beastmaster Xellas Metallium as--"  
  
Luna raised a hand. "Excuse me. I would like to enter the Koku no Tani sometime today. All will be explained in its proper time."  
  
Guntair looked at the ground, almost imagining he could see the shattered remains of his ideals there. [B3] "I sorta want to get in too..."  
  
"Uh, yeah." Mabu pulled himself upright. "I, uh, would, you know, but I have to get it cleared by the Elders first..."  
  
Luna crossed her arms under her more-than-ample breasts and drummed her fingers. "I told you I authorized them."  
  
"Well, yeah, but nobody's authorized you."  
  
"I authorize me."  
  
"But... but..." Mabu looked confused.  
  
"Uh-huh," Luna smiled. "So you, blondie, pick up Lina-chan and bring her along while I--"  
  
Mabu closed his eyes and swallowed while moving in front of the passway. "I want to, Knight-sama, really I do, but you see, nobody told me you were coming and they told me that they'd have my head if I let anyone, anyone at all in and---" He made the mistake of opening his eyes again.  
  
Guntair couldn't see Luna's face now that she'd moved past him closer to Mabu, but he did see, from behind, her raise her head. Mabu gulped audibly and sweated. "The Knight of Cepheed's job is to... protect the Ryuzoku, is it not?"  
  
The guard's head bobbed on its long neck.  
  
"So. While I stay here and guard these people so they don't get in, you go and get someone to come authorize me."  
  
Mabu nodded again.  
  
Luna drummed her fingers even more. "And you are waiting for--?"  
  
The guard fled.  
  
***  
  
"And fate has led you through it.  
  
You do what you have to do."  
  
Zelgadis watched this new girl coolly. Well. SHE certainly made Xelloss happy. [B4]  
  
He started as Amelia nudged him in the side. "You look jealous," she whispered.  
  
Jealous? Why would he be jealous? He wasn't jealous. "I'm not jealous."  
  
"Well, you look it. You're glaring at Lina's onee-san like--"  
  
"That doesn't make me jealous," he reasoned . "It's just that..." he trailed off.  
  
Amelia looked at him strangely with her violet eyes. "Just thatwhat?"  
  
He crossed his arms. "She can't have him." [A4]  
  
The young shaman's brows knitted together and then she giggled. Zelgadis felt his face heat. "What?!"  
  
Still giggling, she shook her head and walked toward Guntair. "Nothing, Zelgadis-san. Don't worry about it."  
  
"I'm NOT jealous," he huffed, then returned to watching this 'Luna' person. Xelloss was hanging off her arm, chattering away at her. A strange noise filled his ears and he suddenly realized he was grinding his teeth. He forced himself to stop. //I'm NOT JEALOUS!//  
  
Luna said something and Xelloss nodded rapidly and hugged her again. //I... I... ok, damn it, I AM jealous!// He aimed a vicious glance at the sky. //Are you happy now, gods?!//  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to calm down. //Breathe. Breathe. Think, don't feel. Just think. Try not to...// [B5]  
  
"--you to someone! Zel... hey, Zel... hey, hey, hey..."  
  
At Xelloss's insistent poking, he opened his eyes again. "What?"  
  
The Mazoku's eyebrows shot up. "Touch-y!" he teased. "I just want to introduce the two of you! Zel, this is Luna, the Knight of Cepheed... you could call her a friend of the family, if you know what I mean. Luna-chan, this is my huggily-wuggily cutie-pie Zelgadis-honey. Zel, smile!" Xelloss glomped onto him.  
  
//Oh gods. Why me?// He felt his cheeks heat.   
  
The Knight of Cepheed tilted her head, an acceptable alternative to raising her eyebrows, hidden as they were under those bangs. "Xelloss-chan, I think you're embarrassing him."  
  
"Eh? Oh, he's always blushing about one thing or another," Xelloss grinned.  
  
Zelgadis was torn. He didn't know whether to try to shake off the Mazoku or to pull him closer and glare at Luna. He settled for looking way and blushing.  
  
Luna emerged with another fantastic observation. "Actually, I think he's jealous."  
  
"Jealous?" Xelloss made a great show of examining Zelgadis. "Zelgadis, jealous?" He poked at the chimera's red cheek. Zelgadis twitched. "I think you're right!" He seemed delighted with this concept.  
  
  
  
"I'm. Not. Jealous." Zelgadis glared.  
  
"Then why are you glaring and grinding your teeth and stuff? You ARE jealous!" Xelloss chortled.  
  
With great effort, he managed to unclamp his jaws. "I'm not glaring. Why don't you torture someone else for a change?"  
  
Xelloss shared a knowledegable glance with Luna. "Torturing?"  
  
"The use of words seems to imply that--"  
  
Zelgadis shook Xelloss off his arm. "I'm going to see if Lina's okay."  
  
***  
  
"And fate has led you through it,  
  
You do what you have to do."  
  
Gourry leaned over Lina's body. "Lina." He shook her again. "Lina? Lina?"  
  
Again, no response. Well, she wasn't asleep, Gourry decided worriedly. That probably meant that... was she unconscious? "Lina?"  
  
He brushed strands of red hair off of her face.  
  
She didn't look peaceful. Her lips were all twisted up and she seemed to be trying not to cry. Gourry put out a hand to try to smooth her lips and felt her breath coming in pants.  
  
Running a hand across her cheek, he pulled her head into his lap. Why had she fainted like this? Gourry didn't know. But seeing her looking like that made him feel like she looked, all twisted up and unhappy... he stroked between her eyebrows, wishing that whatever had made her feel like this would just go away.  
  
A shadow fell across him and he looked up to see the small blonde girl who had been traveling with Lina's big sister watching them nervously. "Hi," he said, trying to dismiss that weird tight feeling in his chest.  
  
"H... hi." The blonde girl lowered her eyes. "I'm Chris. Who..."  
  
"I'm Gourry." Gourry looked away, back at the unconscious sorceress in his lap. "This is Lina."  
  
"Luna-san's little sister?"  
  
"Mm." Gourry found himself stroking Lina's hair again. It was soft and silky.  
  
Chris glanced at the ground and stammered. "Wh-- why did she faint like that?"  
  
The swordsman shook his head. "She's afraid of Luna."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He shrugged. "Dunno."  
  
Chris blinked, meeting his eyes for an instant before blushing and looking down again. "Didn't she tell you?"  
  
"Lina doesn't tell people a lot of things, except when she's hungry and mad and stuff like that."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Gourry watched the blonde girl for a little while. "Is it interesting?"  
  
"What?" Chris looked back, startled.  
  
"The ground. You keep looking at it."  
  
A blush spread across the blonde girl's cheeks. "I... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."  
  
That was just confusing. "You're sorry? Why are you sorry for looking at the ground?" [B7]  
  
"I--" Shamefacedly, Chris hung her head again. "I'm not. I'm sorry."  
  
Gourry frowned, getting really confused now. "Is there something there? Or--"  
  
"I'm sorry!" The girl fled back to Luna's side.  
  
The swordsman scratched his head. "That was weird..."  
  
"What was?" Zelgadis seated himself beside Gourry.  
  
"The girl. The one with Luna. She kept apologizing."  
  
Zelgadis glanced back at Chris, Luna, and Xelloss, and turned back quickly, an odd look on his face. "She's probably just a normal country girl who followed Luna for whatever reason. And she's a waitress. I doubt anyone's ever really talked to her before. She somehow took up with Luna, and -- huh. I pity the poor girl." [B8]  
  
Gourry went back to stroking Lina's hair. "Why?"  
  
"No reason." Zelgadis shrugged uncomfortably. "How's Lina doing?"  
  
The swordsman accepted the change of subject. All of that was too confusing. Lina was something he could almost understand, at  
  
least. "I don't know, she won't wake up."  
  
"She's probably in shock or something," Zelgadis sighed. "You remember her response to getting Luna's letter... now she's seeing her in person."  
  
Gourry sighed. "Yeah... that's probably it. I just wish she'd wake up." [A5]  
  
***  
  
"I have the sense to recognize  
  
That I don't know how to let you go..."  
  
Guntair snapped out of the miserable contemplation of his life and why these things always seemed to happen to him when Amelia snuggled in beside him. "Hi."  
  
"You okay?" Amelia asked, leaning into his side. It was something of a shock, but he forced himself not to pull away. It was getting easier to touch Amelia, but... but sometimes...  
  
"I guess."  
  
She looked up at him and for a moment he was stunned into believing that /this was not Amelia/, and then he shook his head, clearing it. He felt so stupid; he knew her eyes were violet now, but he kept expecting them to be blue... //What does it matter? It's still Amelia.//  
  
"--shock."  
  
He shook his head again. "Sorry, I must have drifted... what did you say?"  
  
Amelia accepted this. "Being home at last must seem to be a bit of a shock..."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How many years has it been?"  
  
He thought about this, speaking aloud as he contemplated. "Well, I was about three hundred when I was traded to Yume..." //Gods, was I ever that young? I feel like I've been adult forever...// "I have to be at least five hundred now... I think, I never really kept track.., so... somewhere in the two hundred year range?"  
  
The young shaman winced. "That's an awfully long time."  
  
He couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth as he thought. "You have no idea."  
  
  
  
"I wish I had been with you for that time..."  
  
"Don't." He felt an icy chill settle in the pit of his stomach, cooling him. "You would just have been more meat for Yume. Just more godsdamned flesh..."  
  
She put an arm around him, squeezing him a little, and he started, trying not to pull away. She'd take that the wrong way. //I'm just too stuck in memory today...//  
  
"It's okay now," Amelia told him. "I'm here now and I'm going to be with you always. She's dead and she can't hurt you anymore..." [A6]  
  
//I wish that were true.// "Sometimes I wake up and it's dark... and I can't remember where I am and I hear people moving and it's all I can do not to scream." He murmured the words under his breath, barely loud enough for her to hear, as if he didn't really want to speak them.  
  
"That... that has to go away in time. Right?" Amelia didn't sound too sure.  
  
"And I can still hear her damned silk voice when I think of her. It makes me sick. I know she's dead, I felt her tear apart, but there's part of me that makes me feel like she's still alive somewhere, deep in my mind. And I saw the Knight of Cepheed and for one damned instant I began to hope... and then I see that she's a friend with a Mazoku. The protector of the Dragons, friends with a Mazoku. I want to scream."  
  
Amelia sighed, tilting her head back to watch the sky. "Maybe that doesn't speak negatively about her but positively for him?"  
  
"He's the priest and general of one of Shabrinigido's generals, Amelia. You can't be saying that he's on the side of good."  
  
The young shaman closed her eyes. "Good. Evil. I used to think that I knew what they meant. It used to be so clear. Now... I don't know. But good people do bad things and bad people do good ones... who knows what it means? Evil capable of love and good capable of hate..."  
  
Something came back to Guntair's mind from weeks ago, on the road. "Xelloss said something offhandedly about the Gold Dragons. Do you know what he meant there?"  
  
Amelia rubbed her forehead. "Well..." she looked distinctly uncomfortable about this. "Did you ever hear about how the Gold Dragons were almost completely wiped out during the Kouma war by a single Mazoku?"  
  
"Of course I have." Guntair shrugged. "Every Dragon, Gold or not, hears that while growing up. You know, if you aren't good and eat all your dinner, the Mazoku's gonna get you and then they tell that story. Why?"  
  
"Um... that was Xelloss."  
  
A hiss escaped from between Guntair's teeth as he glanced back towards Xelloss, who was talking to Luna and waving his arms extravagantly. The blonde girl was hiding behind Luna, and Xelloss winked at her clearly. "Him?" Guntair scowled. "He doesn't seem strong enough to take on an entire race..."  
  
Amelia shrugged uncomfortably. "Well... the Golds say it was him."  
  
"Bastard. And you say he's capable of love? I don't believe that's possible for someone like him, whoever tries to confirm it."  
  
The shaman pulled her knees up to her chest and clutched them. "But... the thing that people don't talk about is... the Gold Dragons did some pretty terrible things too." The look on her face was one Guntair had never seen there before; a combination of horror, revulsion, and pity. He never wanted to receive it. "They did the exact same thing to the Ancient Dragons, only they didn't leave any alive."  
  
"I've never heard of the Ancient Dragons."  
  
Wiping a hand across her eyes, Amelia said, "Believe me, they did exist. Ask your elders, I'm sure that they'll remember."  
  
She seemed so sure... "I've always heard that the Gold Dragons were good."  
  
"That's just the thing. Both Xelloss and the Golds killed an entire race, basically. But Xelloss won't talk about his reasons while the Golds tried to justify theirs... we did talk to them... so what's good and what's evil? The Golds killed ALL the Ancients, even the hatchlings." Amelia choked. "Even the ones in the eggs. Xelloss clearly didn't kill the children... because there are Golds around now, and they recognized him on seeing him. But the Golds are classified as good and Xelloss is considered evil. I don't know what to believe any more..."  
  
Guntair shook his head. "Ryuzoku killing other Ryuzoku? I can't believe it... the Ancient Dragons must have become corrupt, or something."  
  
"They killed them. And their reasons just don't add up to me." Amelia snorted suddenly. "Corrupt? You mean, Mazoku-tainted or something?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Like me?"  
  
//Oh shit. I didn't mean for her to take it like that!// "That's different!" he defended.  
  
"How?" Amelia crossed her arms, pulling away from Guntair. "How is my being Mazoku-tainted any different from your definition of 'corrupt'... and 'deserving to be slaughtered'?"  
  
"You would have died!" [B9]  
  
"So I /am/ corrupt? You want your people to kill me or something?"  
  
"You're taking it the wrong way! Just because you're tainted  
  
doesn't make /you/ evil!"  
  
There was a bitter quality in her laugh. "How is it any different, Gun? Do you even love me?"  
  
"Of course I--"  
  
She wasn't finished. "Or do you love the person you think I am?"  
  
"You're you," he said desperately. "Does anything else matter? I know /you're/ not evil, you're right, I'm just judging the way I'm used  
  
to. I'm sorry. I don't care if you're tainted or whatever, I love you! You're still the same you that you've always been, with or without taint!" His voice had raised from the sub-whisper to a loud tone; not quite screaming, not yet, but still very forceful.  
  
"Are you so sure?" Amelia did not lean against him again, a small space between her and him. "I'm not. I've grown up a lot in a short while. And if what you say is true, and there's not much space between human and Mazoku-tainted and Mazoku, wouldn't it be the same for human and Ryuzoku being almost the same thing? And if Ryuzoku and human are almost the same, and Mazoku and human are almost the same, wouldn't Ryuzoku and Mazoku be almost the same too?"  
  
His jaw dropped. "How--"  
  
"Isn't it just how culture has defined things? Physical differences and a difference in the way people think? The same heart but different bodies, minds, conditionings?"  
  
Guntair shook his head. "Amelia..." He didn't know what to say, what to think. "I don't know... I can't think of myself being like a Mazoku... I hate Mazoku... but..." he sighed. "I just... don't know. You say this, and I know you're not evil, that's one of the few things I can be sure of... but I can't look at someone like Yume... or any of her minions, even... and describe them as having any qualities of good. Any. What they do... and I'd be more inclined to say that... I just don't know. I'm sorry. I want to think like that, I guess, but... how can I? Yume was pure, complete evil. Xelloss... I don't know well enough to say, but... and I've never /known/ any truly evil Ryuzoku."  
  
"But it's what your culture defines as good and evil. And what the Mazoku culture defines as good and evil... what do YOU think evil  
  
is? Or good?" Her voice was odd there, almost pleading in a way Guntair really couldn't comprehend.  
  
He thought about this. "Right and wrong, I guess."  
  
"But what are THOSE concepts? Right for whom? Wrong for whom? And wouldn't evil be stronger than wrong and good stronger than right?" Amelia sounded supremely frustrated, but talked very quietly, head in her hands. "Because, for example, let's say a person's married but they fall in love with someone else. Culture would say that that's wrong, but is it evil? I mean, they're still loving. Can anyone classify love as evil? And... and people sometimes do wrong things for the right reasons and right things for the wrong ones. Where does that fit? I just..."  
  
Guntair put his hand on her arm, briefly, lightly, before pulling his hand away from the contact. "Amelia... I'm trying to understand... but I don't know. I don't know these things! I know what my gut instinct tells me, but how can ANYONE know these things?"  
  
She sighed, a strange look flickering across her face, then smiled up at him. "I'm sorry, Gun. I guess I got carried away. I've been thinking a lot about good and evil lately... I didn't mean to pull you into my problems."  
  
He felt cold. //Could her Mazoku-taint be wrestling with her human nature? Oh, gods, Amelia... I don't want you to go through this...// "Why have you been thinking about this?"  
  
"I don't know." Amelia shrugged. "I guess because I have to. It's probably just a part of growing up... children think they can't die, but... I'm not really a child any more. I know I can die. And I guess that makes me think about what I do when I'm here, what people will think of it as, and... oh, I don't know. I just am. Does it bother you that much?"  
  
He reached out briefly, as if to drape an arm over her shoulders, then pulled his hand back and settled for just smiling at her. He wasn't quite comfortable with touch yet, but, oddly, Amelia sometimes brought the urge out in him. "I just don't want you to hurt in any way. I want you to be happy."  
  
"I'm just thinking, Gun. It's not going to hurt anything."  
  
He felt she wasn't satisfied. "I'm going to think about what you said," he ventured. //It's not like I'm going to just forget this, however much I may want to...//  
  
Amelia leaned against his chest and smiled. "Good..."  
  
"Amelia?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
//Sometimes the future scares me more than the past.// "I love you. Don't leave me."  
  
She chuckled. "You don't have to worry about th--" [B10]  
  
The ground shook as Mabu, still in his full Dragon form, came running up. Shadows fell across them from the sky.  
  
"You're allowed to--" Mabu started to call as a bunch of other Dragons landed around them. They transformed into their human-shapes.  
  
Guntair scrambled to his feet, then held out a hand to help Amelia up. She took it. //It's okay. She's just thinking. We've promised to last this one together, whatever happens.//  
  
An older Black Dragon stepped forward, and although Guntair didn't recognize him, he bowed anyway. "Sir."  
  
"Young Guntair. I doubt you remember me."  
  
He coloured.  
  
The old Dragon chuckled. "And no wonder, gone for so long. Never forgotten for your sacrifice, you shall feast well tonight." He turned to Luna. "Cepheed Knight."  
  
Luna inclined her head.  
  
"We thank you for your presence at such a vital time."  
  
She grinned. "I thought you might."  
  
The Elder cleared his throat. "Yes, well. We do, however, doubt your wisdom in traveling companions."  
  
Her smile did not falter in the least. "Chris has been my traveling companion," she said, placing her hand on the blonde girl's shoulder. Chris flinched under their gazes, pulling away from Luna's touch to hide behind the other waitress, eyes wide and fixed on the dragons. "She is my responsibility. She should have been trained before now in other ways, but nobody bothered. As Cepheed Knight, my duty lies to take care of her."  
  
"She didn't arrive with the others," Mabu stage-whispered to the Elder -- a noise job for a full-sized dragon..   
  
"The others here," Luna continued, "were the ones who completed the last dark prophecy, which I'm sure you all remember."  
  
This clearly surprised the Elder, who drew in a sharp breath. "They are? Even the Mazoku and the Mazoku-tainted?"  
  
"All except Guntair and the child," Luna confirmed. "And you know Guntair. I'm sure you all agree that the child is no threat to anyone."  
  
N-kun looked hurt.  
  
"Indeed." The Elder didn't even glace at him. "But the Greater Mazoku, the chimera and the girl with Guntair? They were a part of the prophecy?"  
  
Zelgadis, to the side and sitting near the unconcious Lina, seemed to bristle at that, but didn't comment. Gourry was also by Lina, but unlike Zelgadis, didn't even hear the Elder's words.  
  
Luna smiled. "Very much so. Admittedly, the girl was apparently not tainted at the time, but it is a very small taint, wouldn't you say?"  
  
//Is it that small?// Guntair wondered. //Xelloss said--//  
  
"And Xelloss and the chimera were some of the key factors in saving the world." Luna indicated Xelloss, and Guntair followed her gesture. The Mazoku was leaning back against a rock, seemingly deep in thought while staring at the sky.  
  
"I see." The Elder's gazes raked over all of them. "They may all enter. There will have to be some precautions taken, but we will deal with that when inside. Please, follow me."  
  
Guntair took Amelia's hand, squeezing it briefly. She squeezed back.  
  
First was Luna, of course, with Chris trailing nervously behind her. Then Gourry, carrying Lina, and Zelgadis was a step behind them. Amelia pulled Guntair into line behind Zelgadis, and N-kun stepped up to beside them, grabbing Amelia's free hand. Last, Xelloss, with all of the entire escort of Dragons behind him strolled up to the gates, smiling cheerfully and innocently, as if there was nothing wrong with a Mazoku entering Ryuzoku territory.  
  
  
  
Amelia's hand tightened on Guntair's, and he looked down at her. "I've got this bad feeling..." she began after passing the gates.  
  
Light flared up behind them. Guntair dropped Amelia's hand as they spun to see what had happened, and Zelgadis forced his way between them. "What--"  
  
Xelloss was on the knees on the ground, arms wrapped around himself, breathing hard, face in shadow. He raised his open eyes and had a very odd smile on his lips as the Elder walked back to him. "You... didn't lower the... wards."  
  
The escort Ryuzoku stepped up. Zelgadis cursed and took a step forward, but the Elder glanced back at him and he stopped, scowling, eyes focussed on the twenty or so Ryuzoku surrounding his lover, hands to one side of him as if preparing to cast a spell at a moment's notice.  
  
Guntair's jaw dropped. "They wouldn't..."  
  
"We know," The Elder replied to Xelloss. "This is part of the precautions."  
  
The last thing they could have expected happened. Xelloss began to laugh, waving off his friends, who had tensed up and moved forward. It wasn't a completely pleasant laugh, but it did have humour in it. "We both guessed."  
  
As some of the escorts began chanting, and others raised slips of white paper, stepping towards Xelloss, the Elder frowned. "Who is 'we'?"  
  
"If you don't know," the weakened Xelloss mocked, eyes open and  
  
dark, "I'm not going to tell you [B11]. You really ought to guess." He winced as the papers were placed against his skin, sticking there, a faint wisp of smoke rising from the contact. He swayed on his knees. "But a thought to leave you with... I'm not fighting back. Why?"  
  
The last of the papers touched him, and he collapsed, eyes closing. One of the escorting dragons picked him up and flung him over a shoulder.  
  
Shifting uncomfortably at this show, Guntair accidentally brushed against Zelgadis. The chimera was trembling, fine shakes barely noticeable to anyone not looking for them. Guntair quickly glanced at his face, seeing complete fury there.  
  
Luna pushed past them, walking up to the Elder. The casualness was gone from her step now, her heels drumming against the rock path with an angry 'tap tap tap'. "If you think you surprised him, you can stop congratulating yourselves now. I don't think anyone noticed, but he contacted his master briefly while outside. He knew this was going to happen. If his last words leave you with a feeling of dread, it's probably deserved. There is a total of two people who know every single plan of his... him, and his master. And only they could tell you what step in what plan that was, or even IF it was. But I doubt you'll ever know anyway. What do you plan to do with him?"  
  
The Elder did not seem amused. "We shall give him a room. Every so often we shall lighten the warding on him so he will be able to interact. He shall not be treated badly."  
  
"Not if confinement isn't considered bad treatment." Luna shrugged, not smiling. "But he agreed to it, whether you knew it or not. So he can deal with it... not very nice of you to use that kind of ward, though."  
  
"What do you mean?" Zelgadis demanded, a sudden burst of angry words from beside Guntair.  
  
"Holy magic. No pleasure in that for him," Luna said, shaking her head. "There were other ways, but why would they care about hurting a Mazoku? Huh. Let's get this show on the road and get this over with. Lina-chan needs a room to recover in... they all need rooms. I'm sure there are people Guntair wishes to see, and things you need to explain to me. Cepheed is not pleased about certain security breaches."  
  
A distinctly uncomfortable expression was on the Elder's face at Luna's displeasure. "Yes, Knight-sama."  
  
***  
  
"Every morning, with apparitions of your soul,  
  
I'm ever swiftly moving"  
  
Lina woke slowly, as if rising from the bottom of a deep pool, and slowly floating to the surface. Voices. She could hear voices.  
  
The first voice was clearly recognizable; Gourry. A slight smile crossed her lips at the thought that he was there. Sweet Gourry, always waiting around.  
  
The second voice, however, was one that triggered only a vague recognition in her mind, tugging at her conscious. She frowned and opened her eyes. And froze in terror.  
  
//OhshitI'mgonnadie...//  
  
"Oh, hey, you're awake!" Gourry exclaimed, voice sounding far away. "I was just talking to your sister and--"  
  
Lina opened her mouth to say something, anything, but all that came out was a reflection of her thoughts: a pathetic whimper.  
  
Her oneesan, her object of terror rose and extended a hand. Lina tried to shrink back but found her muscles unwilling to obey. //Now is not a time to imitate a rabbit in the face of the Dragon Slave!!!// The  
  
Knight of Cepheed reached for her and--  
  
And--  
  
And touched her forehead. "You okay, Lina-chan? You've been out a while."  
  
Lina found her voice. Unfortunately, it was dysfunctional. "You're going to kill me!"  
  
Her older sister started to shake, and Lina winced away. //Now I've done it...//Then Luna got louder and Lina realized that she was... //She's laughing at me?// Lina's fury snapped her out of her terror. "What the hell are you laughing at?!"  
  
"Do you really think I'm going to kill you?" Luna reached into the shadowed area around her eyes, presumably wiping away tears of mirth. "By Cepheed... I try to scare you just a little and then /this/ happens? How many years have you been trying to avoid me?"  
  
"You know how long!" Lina shrieked, more than a little hysterical.  
  
Luna shook her head, grinning like a maniac. "The first threats you deserved." She thought a moment. "Actually, the first /punishment/ that time you deserved. You also deserved the threats responding to your response. I did not expect you to try to escape them by packing one set of clothes, some spell accessories, and climbing out the window in the middle of the night!"  
  
//Oh shit, she remembers what she promised she'd do to me... oh gods, I need a get out of trouble free pass right now...//  
  
"Hey." Gourry rose to stand by Lina's side. He'd clearly just remembered some of the things Lina had told him about her sister, that dysfunctional memory kicked in when Lina began acting like she was in danger. "You're not hurting Lina." [A7]  
  
"No, I'm not," Luna agreed, smiling. "I might have, but Lina's  
  
clearly grown up some. If she had refused to do that job a little while back... then I might have fulfilled some old promises as well as making some new ones. As it is, we can consider the whole thing null and void."  
  
Lina exhaled sharply, relieved, relaxing some but fully stopping her suspicions.  
  
The Cepheed Knight suddenly grabbed the front of Lina's shirt and pulled her nose to nose. "But don't you EVER pull a stunt like that again."  
  
Lina swallowed and nodded, very, very quickly.  
  
The sound of footsteps outside was followed by Zelgadis sticking his head around the door. "Is Lina... ah, you're awake."   
  
"Mm." Lina blinked at him. Zelgadis did not look good. He seemed on the knife's edge of angry, and though Lina had never brought it up, his getting angry reminded her of the average Mazoku. She searched for a possibly safe subject. "Where is everyone?" [B12]  
  
"Amelia didn't feel too well and went to lie down for a while, and Guntair is renewing old acquaintances, with N-kun trailing along." Zelgadis's eyes were dark.  
  
Lina noticed what he'd left out. *Oh shit. The Ryuzoku wouldn't... no, wait, they probably would.* "And Xelloss?"  
  
"Xelloss," Luna said, "is unconscious in a room with wards stuck to him, due to paranoid Dragons. Joy oh joy."  
  
"Will he be okay?" Lina watched Zelgadis's face darken even more.  
  
Luna shrugged. "Probably. He's strong. He won't be at all comfortable right now, but he should last the time."  
  
"Hey, Lina." Gourry seemed to perk up some. "Wanna go eat something?"  
  
//Hell, I survived meeting my sister. This is SOME cause to celebrate.// "Sure!" //Zelgadis could take care of his OWN problems!//  
  
***  
  
"I'm every swiftly moving,  
  
Trying to escape this desire."  
  
"Hey, N-kun. You sure you want to come with me?" Guntair tried to keep his hope out of his voice; he wasn't sure what he was hoping for. Hoping the child would say no and not end up seeing this, or hoping the child would say yes and keep him company.  
  
N-kun grinned, eyes up in happy smile shapes. "You bet! I wanna meet your family!" He held out his arms, obviously expecting to be carried. [B13]  
  
Guntair picked him up. The child was a warm weight in his arms, a comforting burden. "Ok. Just... to tell you..."  
  
"Mm-hmm?"  
  
No. It wasn't worth it. "Nothing." He took a deep breath and  
  
headed towards what he remembered was his mother's dwelling.  
  
His mother met him halfway there, wearing 'human' form to match him.  
  
They both stopped, at the same time, and she looked him up and down, as if looking for something in him and not finding it.   
  
Nothing had changed.  
  
It was all the same.  
  
He swallowed back disappointment. "Hello, Mother."  
  
"Guntair. You look well."  
  
//Do I? Do I truly look well? Or can you see it when you look in my eyes? The years of pain. The years of suffering. The years of Her.// "Thank you. So do you."  
  
"Yes." Her eyes traveled to N-kun, who put a finger in his mouth and blinked at her. "Who's that?"  
  
Guntair put N-kun down. The child immediately went behind his legs, hands tightening in the fabric of his pants. "His name's N-kun. We encountered him wandering the roadways, and Lina decided to take care of him, so he's been traveling with us."  
  
His mother lost interest.   
  
//Of course. You're not interested in things you can't control, are you, Mother?//  
  
"I hear good things about Lina." His mother's voice was off-hand, digging for information.  
  
//She's the Knight of Shabrinigido. Technically, I should hate her. But I don't.// "She's a good person. She cares about her friends."  
  
"I'm sure. However, I have some concerns about the other people you travel with."  
  
The young Dragon felt his muscles tighten. //Don't start this, mother.//  
  
"Mazoku and Mazoku-tainted? Really, Guntair, I thought I raised you better than that." [A8] Her tone was far too casual, with only a hint of disappontment which hit him, as always, like a fist in the stomach. Bitterness filled him.  
  
//No, Mother. How could you? You didn't do that much 'raising' that I remember. But you taught me to be noble. Oh, that you taught me, all right.// "I did not choose to travel with the Mazoku. And as to Amelia, it's not her fault she is now tainted. It was the only way to save her life."  
  
His mother's lips twisted. "It would have been kinder to let her die."  
  
//NO!// "To who? To Amelia? To her father, who had to watch it? To her friends who she has traveled with for years? To me, who loves her?"  
  
"You want to love a Mazoku?"  
  
//Why not? I was abused by one for years. Did you know that would happen, Mother?// "She isn't a Mazoku. She's just an ordinary girl who was poisoned by her uncle and saved by the damned Mazoku. She. Is. Not. Evil." His eyes had narrowed to mere yellow slits, and he made a valient effort to keep his voice completely calm, but the edge of anger slipped into his tone anyway.  
  
"I'm sure you'd like to believe that, Guntair, but you have to remember that you are a Ryuzoku. A proud one, as well, well respected for your noble sacrifice."  
  
//Ah, so you're afraid you'll lose your reputation of having brought me up well? Too bad, mother. I don't want to lose her. I don't care about what you think any more.// "I love Amelia, Mother."  
  
She crossed her arms. "Well, you'll just have to deal."  
  
//No. You will.//  
  
N-kun spoke up. "Amelia's real nice. She buys me candy and stuff and takes care of me."  
  
The tall Dragon woman glanced down at the child still clutching Guntair's legs. "Candy is bad for your health. She's merely taking you down."  
  
Guntair bent and picked up N-kun. "Come on, N-kun, let's go see how Amelia's doing. She must be feeling better after some rest."  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
//I don't want to please you any more.// "To someone who cares." His voice was colder than ice.  
  
He left her there, heading back to the spare housing that the Elders had provided for them.  
  
//Candy is bad for your health. That's always been your way of thinking, hasn't it, Mother? If you can enjoy it, others won't respect you. Others won't give you reverence. You never wanted me to return, did you? Because then I wouldn't be a martyr. Thank you for asking how I am. Thank you for caring.//  
  
//I just don't give a damn. I have no desire to please you any more. I /like/ my candy.//  
  
***  
  
"The yearning to be with you.  
  
I do what I have to do."  
  
Amelia heard the door open and jerked, startled. She rolled over in bed, heart beating fast, to see who it was.  
  
"Hey." Guntair's voice was soft. "You feeling any better?" N-kun poked his head out from behind Gun's legs.  
  
She relaxed. //Why am I so jumpy?// [B14] "A little," she said. Her stomach gave another disturbing lurch and she made a face. "I don't know what's wrong. It must be a combination of something I ate at breakfast and traveling... or maybe it was the gating... I don't know."  
  
Guntair came over and sat next to her on the bed, and N-kun began wandering around the room, looking around. "Why? What exactly feels wrong?"  
  
She shrugged, forcing herself to sit up. "My stomach feels like it's trying to turn itself inside out and my head aches all the way through... I feel a little lightheaded." Even feeling like she did, she couldn't keep a smile from crossing her face. "Your prognosis, Dr. Guntair?" [B15]  
  
The Dragon looked lost. "I have NO idea. Maybe just a flu?"  
  
"Probably." Her stomach cramped and she winced. "Came on awfully fast..."  
  
N-kun spoke up. "I can make you some stomach tea if you like. I learned it when I... while I was on the road."  
  
She smiled. "Thanks, but I don't think I want to swallow anything right now." Sighing as another flash of dizziness flowed through her, she leaned against Guntair.  
  
His muscles were as taut as cords.  
  
//Oh no.// "What's wrong?"  
  
"Am I that obvious?" He heaved a sigh.  
  
//Oh, Gun...// "Rather."  
  
N-kun waved his arms. "His mother's a REAL meanie! She was being all nasty and stuff at him."  
  
Guntair winced. "Yeah, that's about it. She... she is a very proud woman. And she no doubt gained a lot of reputation by having a martyr son."  
  
"Who is no longer a martyr." She stroked his arm. //Poor Gun. This is the last thing you need...// "But surely she was glad to see you anyway...?"  
  
She could feel him shake, leaning against him. Looking up to his face, she saw it was all twisted up, as though he was trying to contain tears. Opening his mouth, only a little noise made it out, and then he simply shook his head. "She... didn't care at all. She didn't ask what I went through. She... I think I hate her."  
  
//Hate your own family? I... guess it's possible. I can't imagine what it would be like, having someone like that so close to you...// "Gods, Gun, I'm sorry. No wonder you were so moody earlier. I'm sorry I got angry at you."  
  
He shook his head. "Not your fault... I was awfully..." he trailed off. "I just... wish she gave a damn. It would be nice. I /was/ gone for about two hundred years... but to her, I was better gone. By Cepheed, I... I almost wish I didn't have to go outside again. I don't want to meet her again. I just want to forget about her."  
  
"I can't imagine how terrible that would be," Amelia felt her own eyes well up and wiped them hurriedly. "And your father?"  
  
A laugh burbled up from his chest. "I don't know. He vanished when I was only a hundred. Mother thinks he ran off with someone."  
  
"Oh." Amelia shook her head.  
  
He turned to her, wrapping an arm around her. "I didn't want to bring it up, but... I only met your father. Did that happen with your mother, like it did with my father?"  
  
Something twisted deep inside her. "My mother's dead."  
  
His eyes widened, his own hurt forgotten. "Gods... Amelia, I'm sorry, I didn't know..."  
  
"I'm... not upset." //Not with you.// "It was... a while ago." She stared at her hands. She could almost still see the blood there. "She was murdered. It isn't one of my better memories... but it was a long time ago. I just wish I could have saved her, somehow..."  
  
"You couldn't have been expected..."  
  
Her stomach cramped again, and she laid her head against his chest, trying not to get too dizzy or faint. "I was /there/, Gun, I watched her die. I knew white magic, but I was too much in shock... I didn't do anything. And... I'm not sure it would have been enough, even if I did do something. But I can never know, now." Her eyes were dry, tears long since spent.  
  
His other arm wrapped around her as well, gripping her in a tight hug. "Oh, Amelia..."  
  
"But..." //Let me forget, for now. Please.// "But that was a long time ago! And this is now. Gun, have you asked about the hatchlings?"  
  
His eyes widened as he released her slightly. "No, no I... they would have told me, wouldn't they? Unless they didn't want..."  
  
"What's that noise?" N-kun asked.  
  
They quieted, listening.  
  
Outside the door, people were whispering. "Is that really--"  
  
"It's gotta be!"  
  
"You go in!"  
  
"I don't wanna go in, YOU go in!"  
  
"Why do /I/ hafta go in?! YOU'RE our leader!"  
  
"I'm del-a-getting o-thor-eatie."  
  
"You can't do that!"  
  
"I'm the leader, I say I can!"  
  
"But I--"  
  
"Just do it, weenie!"  
  
"Scarp is a weenie!"  
  
"Weenie! Weenie!"  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm doing it! Jerks."  
  
Someone knocked at the door.  
  
//I don't know whether I'm going to fall over laughing, grin proudly, or have a migraine.// "Come in," Amelia called.  
  
The door squeaked open and a slightly obese child stuck his head around the door. "'Scuse me, miss, we were told that..." His eyes widened, he squeaked something incomprehensible, and the door slammed shut.  
  
"You idiot! You shut the door!"  
  
"I can't help it, he was THERE!"  
  
"That's the point!"  
  
"Weenie!"  
  
"But he was really THERE!"  
  
"Weenie! Weenie!"  
  
"I am not a weenie! Rath's the weenie!"  
  
"Ooooohhhhh..."  
  
"Did you just call our leader--"  
  
"Me a weenie?!"  
  
"Yeah, you're our leader but you're too scared to go in!"  
  
"I don't have hands right now!"  
  
"So transform!"  
  
"Maybe I don't want to!"  
  
"Hey, maybe Rath IS scared!"  
  
"Scardy! Weenie!"  
  
"Shut up! Ok, I'm going in!"  
  
Even sick, Amelia's lips were twitching, partially at the yet-unseen children's antics and partially at Guntair's expression, which was somewhere between stunned delight and deer-caught-in-path-of-the-Dragon-Slave. N-kun had a disparing look and was crawling under the bed to hide.  
  
Someone knocked at the door again. "You can STILL come in," Amelia called.  
  
"I think that she's mad!"  
  
"She can't be mad! She's with HIM!"  
  
"Just open the door, WEENIE."  
  
"Scarp, I'm gonna get you." The door opened and a taller child stepped around, moving jerkily. "Uh. Uh. Uh. Hi." He wiggled his fingers.  
  
Giggles from behind the door.  
  
"Get in, I want to see him!"  
  
"What if he doesn't like us?"  
  
"He'll like us! It's HIM!"  
  
"Shhh! They can hear us!"  
  
"Uh... I wet myself."  
  
Ews.  
  
"Go home, Tania!"  
  
"We don't need babies like you!"  
  
"I didn't mean to, I just..."  
  
"GO!"  
  
"I'm telling mommy!"  
  
"Yeah? So what!"  
  
"Rath, move, we can't come in!"  
  
Rath was slowly turning red and seemed to be struck dumb. Eyes really large, he began rubbing his foot against the carpet. "Um, I.. Um. We. We kinda... uh... I..."  
  
"Get in, dummy!"  
  
"OOOoooohhhh..."  
  
"You called him a dummy!" Delighted squeals.  
  
"You're gonna get it, Scarp!"  
  
"Maybe I don't care."  
  
"Maybe you should!"  
  
"Ew, Tania left a puddle."  
  
"Don't STEP in it!"  
  
"What should I do?"  
  
"Just leave it there, someone'll clean it up."  
  
"I don't wanna wait out here, I wanna see him!"  
  
"I'm scared, what if..."  
  
"Oh, shut up already!"  
  
Rath didn't seem to hear them. "I. I. Uh. I. We. Uh. You.  
  
Uh."  
  
Guntair smiled and slid off the bed, crouching down to Rath's  
  
level and holding a hand out as if coaxing a young animal. "Hi. You're Rath? I'm Guntair. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Uh. Uh. Uh. I......." Rath seemed to freeze up, eyes somehow  
  
getting even larger.  
  
"Don't just stand there, Rath!"  
  
"SHHHH!"  
  
"I was only trying to--"  
  
"SHHH!!! I wanna hear!"  
  
"Try shutting up yourself!"  
  
"You can't tell me to shut up, I won't--"  
  
"SHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
"I wanna see him!"  
  
"SHHHHH! Keep down! And Rath, get in! Go for it! Come on,  
  
we believe in you!"  
  
Rath, the whites of his eyes showing, put a finger in his mouth and said something completely incomprehensable.  
  
"Damn it, get on with it!"  
  
"OOOOOHHH!"  
  
"SCARP SAID A NAUGTY WORD!"  
  
Giggles.  
  
"Where'd you hear that?"  
  
"SHHHH!"  
  
"I know lotsa words like that!"  
  
"I wanna see!"  
  
"You do?!"  
  
"You're gonna get in trouble!"  
  
"I wanna SEE!"  
  
"I am not! You wouldn't dare get me in trouble, would you?!"  
  
"SHHH!"  
  
"Of course not, Scarp! You're neat!"  
  
"I wanna see. Can somebody lift me up?"  
  
"Of course I am! I'm the greatest!"  
  
"SHHHH!"  
  
"Rath, DO something!"  
  
"Oh, to hey with it!" Another child pushed past Rath, who moved  
  
aside docily.  
  
Its voice was female, so Amelia assumed it was, even though it  
  
was dragon form. It was visibly blushing, and it's wings and tail were  
  
high, as though proud. "Uh... hi!"  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I can't believe she DID that!"  
  
"By Cepheed, she's cool!"  
  
"Don't take Cepheed's name in vain, stupid."  
  
"You let Scarp get away with that sort of thing!"  
  
"Scarp's different. Scarp's neat. You're just... you."  
  
"SHHHH!"  
  
"Rath, don't let her overcome you, man! Do something, Rath! Come  
  
on, I'm rooting for you!"  
  
"You don't need to say it like that, I'm as good as Scarp any day!"  
  
"Oh yeah, says who?!"  
  
"EEP!I'mreallysorryScarp,Ididn'tmeanit!"  
  
Guntair smiled at the little female dragon. "Hi, I'm Guntair, and this is Amelia. N-kun is... somewhere... I guess. What's your name?"  
  
Her wings lowered a little and she blinked a few times. "My name? My... oh. My name is... uh... Zala. But everyone calls me Friz 'coz that's what my hair does when I'm human-shaped."  
  
Giggles.  
  
"I can't believe she forgot her name!"  
  
"Better 'n Rath, he forgot everything!"  
  
"SHHHH!"  
  
"Ew, I just stepped in Tania's puddle!"  
  
"Don't get near me, Yory! You're dirty!"  
  
"I didn't WANT to!"  
  
"SHHH!"  
  
Guntair's smile broadened. It had to hurt by now, Amelia mused. "It's great to meet you, Friz."  
  
"Are you really Guntair?" Friz asked hungrily. "I mean, THE Guntair?"  
  
"The only one /I/ know of. Why?"  
  
She squealed. "IT IS, THEN! I'M SO EXCITED! Come on, everyone!"  
  
"She wants us to come in?"  
  
"You go first!"  
  
"Yory shouldn't go, he stepped in Tania's puddle!"  
  
"But I didn't WANT to!!!"  
  
"SHHH!!! I think Scarp should go!"  
  
"Naw, Scarp was scared before."  
  
"Nafa..." Growled.  
  
"I'msorrybutyouwere!"  
  
//No, I AM going to have a migrane,// Amelia decided, feeling faint. But these were the people Guntair had gone through two hundred years of hell for. It had to be worth it... "There's room enough for all of you in here."  
  
"Let's go! Come on!"  
  
"I'm scared..."  
  
"Shh, don't say that, HE'll hear you!"  
  
"I don't wanna go after having..."  
  
"Oh, just take your shoes off!"  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Shoes. Eheheheh."  
  
"They're waiting! Let's go!"  
  
"Just a minute! Can someone help me with my laces?"  
  
Groans.  
  
"Yory, I TOLE you you shouldn't have let your mother do that!"  
  
"It's not my fault she wanted me to look good for Guntair-sama! Anyway, can someone help me with them?"  
  
"EW! I'm not touching them, you stepped in Tonia's puddle!"  
  
"SHH! He'll HEAR you!"  
  
This was getting to be too much rapidly. Amelia nudged Guntair. "Gun, I have a headache. Can you take them out somewhere?"  
  
He nodded understandingly. Standing quickly and taking Friz and Rath by the arms, he headed towards the door. "Hey, everybody! Let's all go out for a snack!"  
  
Worries were abandoned in favour of cheers and one, "Guntair-sama, watch out for that puddle!"  
  
The door shut and blessed silence resumed. Amelia fell back on the bed and sighed.  
  
"Oof!" Something under the bed wriggled. Eyes blurring, Amelia watched N-kun struggle out from under the bed. "Thanks!" he breathed. "I was afraid they'd want to play with me or something." From her view, he seemed to have a gold blur around him. "I gotta find the counter to my curse, you know... hey, Amelia-san, are you okay?"  
  
She debated this as the room swam lazily around her. "No... I don't think so..."  
  
N-kun's tiny hands brushed her forehead. "You have a nasty fever! Do you want me to get someone?"  
  
She yawned, feeling herself fading. This was awfully familiar... if only she could remember... "Naw, I'll be okay. I just want to sleep. Why don' you go off an' find Lina or somethin'..."  
  
Child's fingers... except they no longer seemed to be a child's, they were too long... brushed back her bangs. "Are you sure?" his voice seemed to be in two registers at the same time [B16], and she blinked back the blurry yellow obscuring her vision.  
  
"I'm sure... 'tsokay, N-kun, I'm just tired. It's not important. I'll be okay after I get some sleep..." Her eyes drifted shut and she didn't hear his response.  
  
***  
  
"The yearning to be near you,  
  
I do what I have to do."  
  
"So, your name is Zelgadis?" Luna leaned back against Lina's bed, flashing a large amount of both bosom and leg.  
  
Zelgadis shrugged, trying not to glower at this woman. So what if Xelloss seemed to hang all over her and Lina was terrified of her? //It's not like I care one way or another.//  
  
//Who am I fooling?//  
  
"Xelloss seems awfully fond of you," the waitress continued.  
  
He shrugged again. He /knew/ he was glowering. Damn.  
  
//It's not my fault. I mustn't feel, I must think. That's the only way I've ever made it through life. It's been alright feeling when it was just Xelloss and me, but I can't survive around others like that.//  
  
//Gods. Poor Xelloss.// Who knew what kind of thing he was going through now? Damn those Dragons... they didn't need to have reason, they just acted based on their fears...  
  
"Cheese only rains on Tuesdays."  
  
Zelgadis blinked, abruptly jolted out of his thoughts. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
Luna grinned at him. "So you were conscious."  
  
//I think she just made fun of me.// He tried to shrug it off.  
  
"I was thinking."  
  
"Ah. About what?"  
  
"Nothing important."  
  
"Xelloss?"  
  
//Damn. She's reading me?// "I'm a little worried," he admitted.  
  
"He knew it would happen."  
  
Zelgadis didn't respond. //That doesn't mean I have to like it.// "How'd you meet him?"  
  
The Cepheed Knight propped her feet up on Lina's bed. "Showed up  
  
at my doorstep one day as an emissary." [B17]  
  
"Emissary?" He couldn't help being curious at this.  
  
Very briefly, light glinted blue off something in the shadow of her bangs -- her eyes, he guessed. "Xellas-chan wanted to come to an agreement over a few things. Intriguing woman. The only one of Shabrinigido's five who would ever consider approaching me to make a deal. Of course, she was in a little bit of trouble, but it still shows some of the way her mind works. If enemies are after you, make a pact with one of your other enemies. Never fight a war on two fronts. Shrewd woman." Luna chuckled.  
  
"You two must be awfully close for you to call her 'Xellas-chan'." Zelgadis remembered the two times he had encountered the Mazoku Lord, once as herself and once as she tried to dispel their worries. Having felt it before, he had been able to sense her awesome power aura even as she muted it, and he wasn't willing to call her something that friendly even this far away from her.  
  
Luna shrugged and chuckled again. "It didn't take long for us to discover that we were too alike and too different not to get along, if  
  
you know what I mean. We're an awful lot like you and Xelloss, I guess."  
  
//I doubt that.// "Are you?" he asked mildly.  
  
She tapped the side of her nose. "Don't tell the Ryuzoku that, of course, it's just between you and me. They don't give me much credit as it is. They're much more stuck up then Cephy -- pardon, Cepheed -- himself, you know? They don't seem to think that I could both be close to her and be their protector."  
  
"It /is/ a conflict of interest," he pointed out.  
  
"Not really," Luna shrugged. "Only if neither of us were professional. We are both perfectly aware that if it comes to another war, and we end up facing off, we will try our damnedest to kill each other, no holds barred, even though we're lovers." [A9]  
  
Zelgadis tried not to cough. //Okay, maybe they /are/ like Xelloss and me.// He thought about the sheer power of the two of them and winced. //Or not quite.// "I can see what you mean," he said absently.  
  
//"If it comes to another war and we end up facing off, we will try our damnedest to kill each other, no holds barred, even though we're lovers."//  
  
//Shit. Could they? How? WHY? If they loved each other...// "I don't think I could do that."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
He realized he'd spoken aloud and had to continue that train of thought. "I don't think I could kill hi-- my lover, you know? In battle or whatever." The chimera sighed. "He already nearly died for me; how /could/ I kill him? It's... not..." //right.//  
  
Luna chuckled, but it wasn't a humourous sound. "In that you're lucky, boy. You have the choice; in our case, it's destiny. Gods, I hate that word, 'destiny'. You see, you can choose which side you're on when the war comes. Whatever else is mixed in you now, you started human; good and evil mixes."  
  
"/You/'re human."  
  
"I'm the Cepheed Knight. Human or not, I have... responsibilities. Choices denied me for the sake of what I am. What I do. Same thing with Xellas-chan, being Mazoku and one of Shabrinigido's five. I am the only person who can contact Cepheed and am his representative here. It's difficult, knowing you'll have to fight against loved ones, lovers, family, but it's not an option not to. /You/, at least, have the option."  
  
Zelgadis jerked. "You know--"  
  
"That Lina-chan's the Knight of Shabrinigido? Yes." Luna chuckled again. "I suspected when she was a child that it might happen; she was very quick at learning magic and getting into trouble. And Cepheed hinted that it could very easily be a possibility. That's one of the reasons she fears me; knowing she might fight for the fate of the world, I couldn't let her go in with no training and so drummed ability into her."  
  
That was unexpected, and also brought up an issue he hadn't even considered yet. "Knowing she might end up fighting you in battle for the destruction of the world, you still trained her?" That wasn't the problem, the training, it was worse. Something that not only Lina, but Zelgadis as well would have to face.  
  
"Of course I trained her," Luna said, as if the other choice hadn't even occurred to her. "It wouldn't be fair otherwise."  
  
Zelgadis thought, but not about that. //Gods. Xelloss will eventually be fighting for the world's descent into evil from the neutrality it is now. So will Lina, whether she wants to or not. I don't want the world to... but I can't fight Xelloss... but... oh, gods.// "I can't do it."  
  
The Cepheed Knight blinked. "Pardon?"  
  
"Make a choice like that. I can't let the world get destroyed, but..." Gods, it hurt, deep inside his chest. "...but I couldn't fight Xelloss either. I can't do it."  
  
Luna sighed, suddenly seeming very tired. She brushed back her bangs absently, and Zelgadis caught a glimpse of deep, deep blue eyes and a headpiece the same colour before the girl's hair fell back. "It doesn't really matter which side you fight for, Zelgadis. The only way the human race would survive is if there's another stalemate. I'd live if the Ryuzoku -- if Cepheed -- won, and maybe a very few, very pure humans, or people who were part Ryu, but that's all. If Shabrinigido and the Mazoku win, Lina will survive, you will probably survive, it's possible that that poor girl -- Amelia, wasn't it? -- will survive, evil humans or other part Mazoku will survive, but, again, that's all. Most of the human race and all of the Ryuzoku would be wiped out." As Zelgadis's jaw dropped, Luna went on, "It's something of a burden, which is why I had /hoped/ Lina-chan wouldn't have to face it, but there's no more choice in that. Now... the people who have to fight on the sides they must fight will fight, the people who can choose will choose, and the others will have their fate decided for them, poor bastards." She shook her head again. "Hope for a stalemate; it's all any of us can do. Even Cepheed understands that, but his battle with Shabrinigido has been going on too long to stop."  
  
Zelgadis's throat was dry. "Luna... you're talking like you know there's going to be a war. The last war was a thousand years ago..." //Gods, please, gods... I know you've never listened to me yet, but just this one time...// "Surely there's not going to be another for a long, long time." He somehow managed not to make it into a question.  
  
Shrugging, the Cepheed Knight rose. "Well, hope for the best, I always say, even if it might be sooner than you think."  
  
//What...//  
  
Before he could question her, she continued. "Which reminds me, we should join Lina-chan and Gourry for dinner; I need to talk with the elders there, as they promised, and I rather think it would be a good idea for you all to be there. I was hoping I could watch Xelloss's face at this time, but I'm fairly certain he knows it already. That is his role, you know, to know things."  
  
//His role? To know things?// Zelgadis wondered, realizing for the first time that Xelloss hadn't ever actually told him what he did. //To know /what/ things?//  
  
He blinked as he registered Luna's hand outstretched to help him  
  
up and, mind still whirling about the possibilities, took it.  
  
***  
  
"And I have the sense to recognize  
  
That I don't know how to let you go."  
  
Amelia floated in a black sea of sleep, letting herself be drawn under the waves, realizing she could breathe in them. It was peaceful, a place away from her headache, a comfortable, if empty, place.  
  
She sighed. But Guntair wasn't here. Neither were Lina, or Zelgadis, or any of the others. She had to get back to them. That was what she was here for, right?  
  
Trying to swim toward the surface, her heart began to beat faster. //What??// She couldn't rise, couldn't reach it. Normally she could pull herself from sleep, but...  
  
She stopped struggling and fell deeper into the waves. Maybe she was just really tired. She hasn't been here for long. Her body knew what it needed, right?  
  
There was no need to worry.  
  
Yet.  
  
***  
  
"I don't know how to let you go."  
  
Homen was exhausted, through and through. Moreover, his stomach was cramping uncomfortably with hunger, or, at least, he hoped it was hunger. //What can I sell for food?// he wondered, digging through his belt pouch. No money. //Damn.// His vest wasn't precisely a necessity, not yet, but it would be dangerous to sell it, could risk giving away his secret.  
  
He resigned himself to picking someone's pocket. Normally, he didn't have many qualms about it, other than fear of getting caught and executed... but lately, he'd had a burning desire to keep himself safe, for some reason. //Oh, well. I've got to live, and I can't do that by starving.// It never even occurred to him to sell the ruby he'd stolen, back in that shrine to Cepheed.  
  
Stomach cramping again, Homen made a face. His back ached, too, and his head. A bad, bad feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. //Oh, shit. Didn't I just deal with that?// Silently, he began to count on his fingers. //Twenty-nine days.// He tried not to panic, it had happened before. He just needed to find some private place to change.  
  
//If the guilds see the blood, they won't let me get away with what I /do/ steal!// Homen was well known amongst the guilds in this city and others for his skill. //Damn stuck up bastards, not letting a person steal just because she's a girl.// [A10]  
  
She began to look for a good quick hiding place to change in.  
  
***  
  
"Glowing embers,  
  
Burning hot."  
  
Pain.  
  
//Gods above and below, what pain.//  
  
No, pain wasn't the word for it. Pain was something Xelloss was used to, something Xelloss actually enjoyed. This was... this was...  
  
/han./ No word existed for it; no Mazoku had ever passed through this pain and either survived or wished to think upon it again. It was /han/, opposite, anti-. Every fibre of his being screamed that it was completely wrong, fought to force it away. It was everything he wasn't and nothing he was. It was completely /han/ to him, and it was burning him alive.  
  
"I think he's coming to, sir." A feminine voice, cool, practical. [A11]  
  
"It would be about time." This voice was masculine and gruff, and Xelloss recognized it as the voice of the Black Dragon Elder. "Damn it, we removed the unconsciousness-inducing wards almost an hour ago."  
  
//Heh.// Xelloss would have smiled if he had any control over his body. //And did they just expect me to snap awake while like this?// Not asleep, no, nor actually unconscious. But not capable of coherent thought or action.  
  
A hand gripped his shoulder, shaking him roughly. "Oi. Mazoku. Open your eyes."  
  
Another blast of /han/ shot through him and he gritted his jaw to not cry out, not give them that power over him. //Godsdamned Dragons...// He didn't want to, but his eyelids pried themselves open against his will. The light started a dull, comforting throb at the back of his scull and coloured splashes crossed his vision. //So this is a migraine. Very interesting. Yick.//  
  
Somewhere inside him, he found his voice, rusty and bleeding, but he danced it forward anyway. "Ah. My hospitable hosts." He attempted his usual smile and felt dry lips split, blood trickling briefly into his mouth.  
  
"Shut up," the Elder commanded, touching one of the symbols of /han/, one on his shoulder, and Xelloss's jaws snapped shut. "What is your name, Mazoku?"  
  
The pressure holding his jaws shut let up. "You know my name," he croaked.  
  
"I didn't ask you if I knew your name." The Elder pressed another piece of paper, symbol of /han/ onto his cheek. "I asked you what your name was."  
  
Damn it, that had to be a truth ward. It was forcing him to speak. His name was harmless enough, but he had to find a loophole. "Xelloss Metallium," he said, and reached for his master's presence, always on the edge of his consciousness.  
  
And couldn't contain the tail end of a scream as the wards slapped his mind, his aura, his body, his being. His essence struggled against the horrifying feeling. The fact he couldn't reach Her was bad enough; to have /han/ ground into him for trying was unbearable. His breathing was harsh in his own ears as his struggles subsided.  
  
"I will trust you will not try /that/ again," the Elder's female assistant commented, smiling. Angry, Xelloss's eyes flicked over and captured hers for an instant. Watching the blood drain from her face was a brief moment of pleasure for him.  
  
But, even more than that, there was something wrong. Kin... he contained a curse as he realized what it was. Damn it, they needed her! But he couldn't mention it in front of these Ryuzoku. They'd kill her rather than help her. He could only hope something would happen to get him out of this.  
  
//Not that I would help THEM anyway.//  
  
"Who is your master?"  
  
No loophole to that question. That didn't matter, any idiot knew who Xelloss Metallium's master was. Even someone who didn't could make a guess based on the name. //I guess this guy isn't just ANY idiot...// "Juuou Xellas Metallium." //Oh, hell, if I have to tell him, I might as well tell him enough that he understands the enemy he's made.// "Queen of Predators, master of the wild, Beast over beasts, huntress who never loses her prey, lady of--"  
  
"That's enough."  
  
//Damn it, they're not even going to let me have any fun.//  
  
"What is your connection to Luna Inverse?"  
  
"I am not connected to her." Physically.  
  
The woman interrupted with a question, upset at having shown fear. "How do you know Luna Inverse?"  
  
He smiled. Why not? Not the whole truth, of course, but enough to surprise them. "She is a friend."  
  
"Nonsense!" the woman shouted. "He must be lying!"  
  
"He can't lie," the Elder said patiently. "He has a truth ward on him. We will talk to the Cepheed Knight about this." He turned back to Xelloss. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Now THAT one had so many loopholes he might even be able to enjoy himself a little. "Well, I was born..."  
  
He wished he could crack a smile as the Dragon Elder ground his teeth. "No! What are you doing /here/, at the Koku no Tani?!"  
  
Xelloss pretended to think. "Well, it seems I'm being tortured." He forced another smile.  
  
The Elder's hand crashed into his jaw, rocking Xelloss's head back. A low chuckle came from the Mazoku's throat. "Four points for the Mazoku," he rasped. "Three points for the Ryuzoku. Shall we continue? Sudden Death game, maybe?"  
  
"This isn't a game, Mazoku," the woman sneered.  
  
Another chuckle bubbled from his throat. "Everything's a game, young lady." As the Ryuzoku bristled at the 'young lady' comment, --she wasn't that young, but she was still younger than Xelloss, from what he could tell-- he smiled up at the Elder. "So far, I've only ever won."  
  
"You may not find yourself so lucky again," the Elder said dryly, having recovered his composure. "For what purposes did you come to the Koku no Tani?"  
  
//Shit.// "Guntair wished to discover whether the Dragon Eggs Yume had stolen had been returned properly." He wished he could stop there and not reveal any further, but the plural denied him that, so he reached for his master again. He knew what would happen, but at least the shock of it stopped his voice from continuing for a second. //Damn it, I need time!// If he let the plans become known, it would be his death. He didn't fear death, but he'd rather torture himself and scream until he had no voice left rather than let the Beastmaster down.  
  
"Stop that!" The woman commanded. "Are you a fool?! Just answer  
  
the question!"  
  
//No.// He clamped his teeth around his scream and grinned as  
  
the /han/ stole his voice.  
  
And suddenly, the Elder and his assistant's attention was drawn  
  
away. He stopped struggling to reach his master and whispered the answer quietly enough that they couldn't hear while their attention was gone. "I came to see if the Ruby was still here." They hadn't heard him. He turned his head to see what they were looking at, licking dried blood off his lips.  
  
The blonde half-Ryuzoku remained frozen in the doorway, eyes wide. "Su...mie...ma...sen..." she whispered, clutching her cast-iron waitressing tray to her chest.  
  
"What are you doing here, girl?" the assistant demanded angrily,  
  
striding towards her. "This is not publicly accessible!"  
  
Chris wavered on the verge of leaving immediately. "I'm sorry... please excuse me... Luna-san sent me to remind you..." her eyes strayed to Xelloss, who watched her as well, not hiding his eyes. "...to remind you that you said you would... speak to her at dinner, and..." Gaze flickering back and forth between the Ryuzoku and Xelloss, she seemed to have forgotten what she was saying and stammered, "and... and... that's it..." [B18]  
  
"Tell her we are on the way," the Elder commanded. "You saw nothing here, halfbreed. Nothing. Remember that."  
  
"Yes!" Chris squeaked, turning on a high heel unsteadily and escaping.  
  
//Good. If she has any spine to her at all, she'll tell Luna-chan.// He didn't smile and give away his thoughts. //Luna won't help, but she'll make sure it gets passed on to Lina, and Gourry, and hopefully Zelgadis. They'll get me out of this, hopefully before I say more than I should.//  
  
The Elder sighed and removed his gloves. "Dalia, place the ward back on him. We will continue this later."  
  
Dalia -- the assistant -- nodded, and pulled a slip of paper from her dress pocket. "Back you go, Mazoku." As she bent over him to place it in the middle of his forehead, he whispered a message to her, a promise for the future.  
  
"Go to your dinner, young lady. Eat, drink, and be merry..." [B19] The paper touched his forehead, leaving the rest of his sentiment unheard as his mind fled.  
  
***  
  
"Deep within I'm shaken by  
  
the violence of existing for only you..."  
  
A tug on his pants dragged Guntair's attention away from his in-between- bites conversation with Lina, and he smiled down at Friz. The children had a table away from the adults, fortunately... although the children were sweet, they were constantly demanding things of him, once they'd gotten past their initial shyness. Still, they continued to come and ask him questions when they thought of it, often trailed by concerned parents; this seemed to be a relief to N-kun, who had been seated with the other children and was constantly wearing a put-upon expression. Guntair grinned quickly at Friz's mother, a few feet behind, then transferred his gaze back to the little dragon girl. "Yes?"  
  
"What happened to the nasty-bad lady, Guntair-nii-san?"  
  
Pain lanced through him, and he froze briefly as her face shone in his mind as she walked along his sword, blade in her belly, coy, teasing, hateful smile on her face as those long wicked nails reached out to caress his face. /"My stupid, stupid pet. Betraying me for these children. You shall be punished very severely indeed."/ He could hear his whimper as his hands went numb, knowing her method of punishment, the sword clattering to the ground at his feet, the sickening squelching sound as it slid out of her flesh...  
  
"Guntair-nii-san?"  
  
"Zala..." the child's mother scolded. "I'm sorry, Guntair-san.  
  
She's just..."  
  
He pulled himself back to the present, smiling shakily at the woman and her child. "It's okay. The nasty-bad lady is dead now, Friz-chan, and can't hurt anyone at all any more."  
  
//Except that I will never forget.//  
  
Friz crowed with delight. "Did you kill her?" She didn't wait for a response. "I'm gonna become a Mazoku killer just like you, Guntair-nii-san! I'll hunt them down and make them pay! There's lots of them around, it'll be easy, and--"  
  
"Don't," Guntair warned. "They're very dangerous creatures, Friz-chan. You're too young to deal with them."  
  
She pouted, and amended, "When I'm older."  
  
Guntair felt himself relax. //At least I don't have to watch out for her while she goes and hunts creatures who would gladly tear her limb from limb or worse...//  
  
Friz's mother was leading her away. "We'll talk about that," she was warning the child.  
  
"But Mom..."  
  
A chair squeaked and he turned to see the Cepheed Knight lower herself into the chair beside him, Zelgadis seating himself beside Gourry.  
  
Luna grinned at him. "Hi. They seem to be keeping you busy."  
  
He shrugged, uncomfortable around this woman. "Sort of."  
  
"Still, children can be so cute, when they're someone else's," she philosophized.  
  
He shrugged again, looking around, trying to find something else to talk about. "Where's that little friend of yours?"  
  
"Chris?" She jerked a thumb to the door. "I sent her to tell the Elders' I'm ready to talk with them, and see if Amelia wanted to join us for dinner."  
  
"Ah." He glanced down on his plate, which a waiter had somehow refilled without him noticing, taking another bite. "The food's good."  
  
"The food's passable," Luna disagreed. "I've tasted better." She chuckled. "Actually, I'm just uncomfortable with being served instead of serving. I keep wanting to get up and help."  
  
He coughed. //The Cepheed Knight, a waitress. I still find it difficult to believe.// "Uh."  
  
Chris seemed to appear silently above their shoulders, making him jump... it had to be a waitress ability, he reflected. Luna didn't  
  
seem at all startled. "Yes?" she asked the girl.  
  
The half-Ryuzoku gazed at the table, not looking at Luna's face. "Amelia-san was asleep so I guess she won't be coming down... and... uh, the Elders were... busy... but they'll be down in a minute."  
  
"Oh?" Luna drew out, and Guntair saw her glance towards Zelgadis, who had stopped sipping wine and was listening. "What were they busy with?"  
  
"They... told me... that it was nothing, Luna-san... I'm sorry." The blond waitress had a distinctly guilty look on her face.  
  
"I'm sure they told you that, yes. But you trust me. What were they REALLY doing?" Luna toyed with her fork, letting it catch and fragment the light.  
  
"They were..." Chris lowered her voice, looking around and blushing. "Questioning Xelloss-san, Luna-san."  
  
"Torturing, you mean." Luna's voice was also quiet, barely enough to cover the table; louder was the sound of Zelgadis's wine glass shattering. A waiter hurried up to clean up the mess and replace the glass. Zelgadis had transferred his attention to his food and had a very odd look on his face. Guntair shivered, glad that that angry gaze was directed at the food, not him. Apparently, the Mazoku had somehow become close to Zelgadis's heart, Cepheed alone knew how. //It should never happen. Still, I know that if Amelia was in his place, I'd feel the same way.//  
  
Chris cringed. "I... I wouldn't know enough to say... I'm sorry..."  
  
"Stop apologizing, Chris-chan," Luna sighed. "Xelloss is a big boy, he can take a little pain, and you and I can't do anything about it. We must leave that for the people who can."  
  
Guntair noticed an interesting tone in her voice, how it raised at the last sentence, and how, despite the news, a grin trailed at the edges of her lips. //Such an odd woman.// Seeing her glance over, so quickly that if he hadn't been watching her he wouldn't have noticed, he followed her brief gaze back to Zelgadis. Realization hit him. //Why that little... she's manipulating him!!// He snorted softly and she grinned at him. //Whose side is she on, anyway?//  
  
//Still, I can't say I blame her. Ryuzoku torturing someone? Even if it IS a Mazoku, our people shouldn't do that! It puts us on their level...// He shook his head.  
  
"Come on, sit," Luna was commanding Chris, pulling out a chair for the overly-nervous younger waitress. "You did the right thing in telling me. Sit." She glanced to the side and caught Guntair's gaze again, smiling. "You know," she murmured softly enough that he was certain that he, and perhaps Chris, were the only ones who could hear, "being the Cepheed Knight means more than protecting Ryuzoku from outside influences. It also means protecting them from what they might someday do, and stopping it from continuing."  
  
//Shit. I suppose... she's right.// It was a stunning thought, that she thought... hell, that Cepheed himself thought... that they needed to have an eye kept on them to stop them from violating their own code.  
  
Silence abruptly fell, and Guntair looked over to see the Elder who had greeted them at the door enter, and beside him... //Oh gods. No, it couldn't be...// his mother.  
  
He froze as her gaze raked over him disdainfully, wanting to shrink down in his chair, but she barely bothered with him, turning her attention to the Cepheed Knight. She raised one eyebrow imperiously. //I hate the way she makes me feel...//  
  
Luna rose, and suddenly she radiated Power. It was like Luna herself had gently stepped aside and in her place was... someone else. Her bangs blew away from her eyes of their own accord, revealing eyes as blue as an evening sky. Guntair's mouth moved silently, mouthing the name. //Cepheed.//  
  
Both the Elder and his mother bowed slightly, but both still had slightly indignant expressions on their faces. With both these things demanding attention, it was only with the back of his mind that he noticed the twang as Zelgadis's fork snapped.  
  
The being who was partially Luna spoke. "Your duty has not been fulfilled." The voice was Luna's, yet, at the same time, not Luna's.  
  
It was pure power; even Lina and Gourry stopped their constant cramming of food in their mouths to stare.  
  
Searching quickly for a response, the Elder was visibly sweating. "We are most apologetic, Cepheed Knight. The thief was quite cunning."  
  
"No thief should be cunning enough." Luna frowned, and the room was suddenly a few degrees colder, at least to Guntair. It was stunning, hearing that voice, both terrifying and thrilling him. "The last war was a mere thousand years ago. The world has not yet recovered enough for another war. This is why We set you to guard that piece of Shabrinigido. And yet, now, the piece of Shabrinigido has been spirited away. How could you be so lax in your duty as guardians?"  
  
//The... A PIECE OF Shabrinigido?!// [A12]  
  
Guntair's mother found her voice. "We sensed no Mazoku presence  
  
passing the wards, Cepheed Knight. We did not believe--"  
  
"Of course you felt no presence." Luna crossed her arms, and the temperature seemed to drop a little more. In the back of the room, a child started to cry. Guntair glanced over, worried, thinking already of these children as his responsibility, but the child was already being comforted by its mother. Something else caught his attention; N-kun had leaned forward, staring, something almost hungry in his pupilless eyes. /Well,/ Guntair thought inanely, /I suppose everyone reacts differently to the presence of a god.../  
  
Luna was continuing. "He could not be reborn through a Mazoku. The thief is human, of course."  
  
"We had no idea that a human could possibly--"  
  
"You should have had an idea," the Cepheed Knight cut in. "Underestimating humans has caused you to fail in your duty. When -- if -- the Ruby is brought back, you must redouble all your efforts for all time, no matter what it does to your economy or culture. You were given that duty for a reason."  
  
The Elder swallowed. "Cepheed Knight, how can we... make up for our failure?"  
  
"You may guard it when and if it is retrieved, guard it properly,  
  
unlike the way you had before."  
  
"And you?" Guntair's mother asked, intruding. Guntair swallowed. He may have seen Luna as an ordinary person earlier, but now... now she was much more than just Luna. He knew that he would never dare interrupt her. Yet his mother... "What will YOU be doing? Will you be retrieving the Ruby?"  
  
Luna turned and looked... straight at him. "No. We have other duties We must attend to, not the least of which is raising one who has been ignored by her own race. One of the Guardians will go."  
  
"Let me," The Elder begged. "Let me make up for our error--" [B20]  
  
Luna's eyes, still boring into Guntair's, were an amazing shade of blue, one that had to be seen to be believed. He couldn't tear his gaze away.  
  
The Cepheed Knight cut the Elder's words off, still not looking over. "No. Not you. The one We wish to go is one whom sacrificed and returned, unwelcomed. We wish Guntair to retrieve the Ruby. His companions will go with him."  
  
"Not all his companions!" Dalia, Guntair's mother, cried.  
  
"All his companions," the Cepheed Knight repeated. "There is a balance in there. This balance is required."  
  
Guntair was still frozen in shock, knowing in his soul that no matter what, he would do this. It was more than just Luna telling him to do this. He had to. /But my companions...Lina.../  
  
Still gazing into them, he saw the Cepheed Knight's eyes flash. A voice spoke in his head, and would have knocked him to his knees had he not been sitting.  
  
It was not a presumptuous voice. It was quiet, masculine, though merely a light tenor. Wisps of music seemed caught in it. But, whether the voice itself could be considered remarkable... it was more than just a voice. It was the voice of his god. /"Yes. Lina is the Shabrinigido Knight. Yet she too must go. There is a balance in this. Luna will also be going, although later, and taking a different route. The goal, my Guntair, isn't to retrieve the Ruby, although if that is possible, it must happen. The goal is the destiny already set in motion. Perhaps... you and the ones you love can prevent it from escalating to be more than the destiny of you few."/  
  
Then the voice was gone, and Guntair came to the slow realization that the others at the table were waiting for a verbal confirmation of his acceptance. He somehow managed to find his voice and croaked, "Of course! We'll do it!" He hoped the others wouldn't contradict him, but the Cepheed Knight turned, to face them.  
  
"Will you?"  
  
Lina's agreement was surprisingly quick and quiet. He glanced over to see her avoiding looking at the Cepheed Knight who was, he reminded himself, her older sister. Of course she'd agree. Zelgadis shrugged, eyes cold, not seeming fully focused on the conversation. Gourry smiled. "Why not?"  
  
Luna turned, to Guntair's surprise, to look at the back table, the child's table. He'd thought that N-kun wouldn't be going further than this, really. But the child, sitting on the table, gave a thumb's up and a cocky grin towards the Cepheed Knight. She closed her eyes softly. "So that's how it is," she murmured.  
  
Seeming to shake her mind off something, she turned back to the Elder. "Two of the companions are missing."  
  
"Neither could make it to the dinner, Cepheed Knight," The Elder told her, bowing.  
  
"Ah. Well. They will learn of this later then. Do not fail Us again." Luna swayed slightly and sat heavily in her seat, and EVERYBODY relaxed. She turned to grin at Guntair, eyes once again shadowed. "That's always quite a dizzying rush." Though she didn't seem too steady, she didn't seem unwell either, and Guntair got the impression that she could even fight in this condition. She was nowhere near as weak as she made herself out to be, that was for sure.  
  
Guntair nodded, looked down at his plate, and looked up into his mother's eyes. He swallowed, suddenly. /I had hoped I wouldn't see her again.../  
  
"Guntair. I'm surprised your little tainted girlfriend isn't here," Dalia sighed. "I wished to meet her."  
  
He felt all his muscles tense. //That'll never happen if I have anything to say about it.// "She hasn't been feeling well."  
  
"A pity. Of course, it makes /sense/, you know. As the Guardians, our city has powerful wards around it. Even if she is not, as you say, evil, the Mazoku taint in her will make her feel unwell in contrast with them."  
  
He shrugged uncomfortably. "Perhaps. That could be it." It pained him to give his mother even this concession.  
  
"You know, there are ways to remove taint," his mother began.  
  
Luna leaned over, resting an elbow on Guntair's shoulder with nerve-racking casualness. Guntair hadn't been surrounded by this many people or this near to many women since... His throat constricted. //That's over. She's dead.// Yet the fear was still there.  
  
"Dalia-san," Luna was drawling. "Removal of taint puts an awful strain on the system, especially for humans. In the state she's in now, it could make her much worse, and could crack her mind, though I'm certain she's got great willpower. The cure could be worse than the infliction."  
  
Guntair's mother tossed her hair back. "Well. If Guntair and she herself WISH for her to remain something stained for the rest of her life, I'm sure they're welcome to it." She patted Guntair's other shoulder condescendingly, and walked off.  
  
"Now THERE'S," Luna said softly, into Guntair's ear, "a woman with a burr WAY up her ass."  
  
The Black Dragon's eyes widened as he watched the stiff way his mother was walking and then burst into laughter. Dalia glanced at him and he looked down at his plate again, still chuckling. "Luna, you may well be the death of me."  
  
Luna's next words were sobering. "I hope I'm not."  
  
***  
  
"I know I can't be with you,  
  
I do what I have to do."  
  
Amelia was beginning to get scared. Sight of the surface of these black waters had disappeared long ago and she still couldn't fight her way upwards. Her breath was getting tight. "Guntair?" she called. "Lina-san? Zelgadis-san? 'Tou-san? Xelloss-san? N-kun?! GUNTAIR?!"  
  
Nobody came for her.  
  
It was getting cold. Though the waters had been lapping around her, her clothes hadn't been getting wet... but now she was terribly, soul-shakingly cold. "GUNTAIR?! Come find me! PLEASE!"  
  
Nobody came.  
  
"Somebody," she sobbed, choking on her own tears as her lungs tightened further. She could feel herself begin to hyperventilate, trying to find air. "Anybody..."  
  
There was only one other person who usually found her. She hesitated to call, not knowing the voice's name, hating to call her the other name, the one she would respond to, but needing somebody, anybody. It was so lonely, and so cold... "Master? Please, come to me, I need you..."  
  
Her eyes blurred, and she wiped away tears. Opening them again, she saw a hand, dark-skinned, with delicate long fingers and almost threatening nails stretching towards her, reaching for her. Almost uncertain to what she was doing, she reached for it, crying aloud now, chest aching with the effort.  
  
It was out of reach.  
  
"I'm so sorry, child," the voice murmured, sounding far away, as if on the other side of a door. "I cannot reach you where you are... don't give up... I will be back for you when I can get your kin to you... when I can reach your kin. You are falling... do not fall..." The voice trailed out, and the hand vanished.  
  
"NO!" Amelia screamed as the loneliness slammed into her again. "COME BACK! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!!!!"  
  
She wrapped her arms around herself as she cried. "Gun..." she whispered. She didn't like being lonely like this.  
  
She wished he'd find her.  
  
***  
  
"I know I can't be with you  
  
I do what I have to do..."  
  
Zelgadis pressed himself back into the shadows as some half-asleep young Ryuzoku passed him in the hall. He shouldn't be doing this. Xelloss could take care of himself. The stupid Mazoku KNEW what'd happen to him. So he shouldn't be bothering with this.  
  
Damn it.  
  
It would be nice if he had even HALF a chance in hell of convincing himself.  
  
Someone tugged on his pant's leg and he nearly had a heart attack, barely able to muffle his startled cry. He clutched at his heart as N-kun blinked huge, pupilless eyes at him. "Don't DO that!"  
  
"What're you doing?" N-kun asked mildly.  
  
Zelgadis flushed. "Nothing."  
  
"I see," N-kun nodded wisely. "I do see." He held up a basket of food. "I'm bringing some snacks to Amelia in case she's hungry, okay? Tell Xelloss I said 'hi'."  
  
The chimera's jaw nearly hit the floor.  
  
"See you." N-kun gave him a last wave and wandered back down the  
  
hall.  
  
It was so unfair. Apparently even the kid knew. //I'm becoming so transparent,// he groused mentally, grinding his teeth. //Whatever happened to the heartless swordsman? Damn it all.//  
  
He knew what had happened.  
  
It was SO unfair.  
  
Zelgadis felt so stupid, knowing that he was acting like... some love-struck youth. He wished he could just turn back now and go to his room and... meditate or something. Anything other than giving in to these pathetic desires to... /rescue/ Xelloss. He was no white knight, and Xelloss was most definitely no innocent needing rescue.  
  
/"Stop apologizing, Chris-chan," Luna sighed. "Xelloss is a big boy, he can take a little pain, and you and I can't do anything about it. We must leave that for the people who can." /  
  
//And what gives ME the right to be that person?!// [B21]  
  
He was at the door, the one Chris had described when he'd caught her after the dinner. The poor girl wasn't aggressive enough, and had been terrified of him. Normally, he didn't care, but it had gotten on his nerves then. At least he'd found out where they were keeping Xelloss.  
  
Carefully, prepared to cast a spell if anyone should be in there, he opened the door. No response. Carefully, ever so carefully, he peered around the door, muscles tensed.  
  
And stepped into the doorway, eyes wide with shock. He had seen torture scenes before... hell, had initiated them before, however badly they'd turned out... but none of them had made something inside him twist like this sight did.  
  
Xelloss was laid out on some metal table, eyes closed and head tilted to the side, shirtless and looking so strangely vulnerable. Burn marks dotted his body, pieces of paper sticking to his skin in an almost magnetic effect. His shirt, bag, cloak, and staff were on the floor nearby, items from his bag scattered and clearly picked through. Zelgadis still wasn't certain if Xelloss ever slept or not, but this didn't look like a natural sleep to his eyes.  
  
Moving closer, he shook Xelloss slightly. "Oi. Wake up." No response; it was definitely not sleep. Unconsciousness perhaps. Or maybe it was the wards.  
  
He examined the papers. All had elabourate symbols on them in a language Zelgadis couldn't read. It didn't matter; whatever they were, they couldn't be doing the Mazoku any good. Methodically, Zelgadis began removing them.  
  
The ward on Xelloss's shoulder went first. Nothing. The one on his cheek. Still nothing. The one on his forehead and...  
  
Xelloss's eyes flickered slightly, then opened, gazing at Zelgadis. He didn't seem to recognize his surroundings or Zelgadis... /he's not reacting yet,/ Zelgadis realized, reaching out and shaking him again. "Wake up, Xelloss!"  
  
Finally, the Mazoku seemed to focus slightly. "Zel...?" Frantically, suddenly, he clawed at his own chest, the last piece of paper there, but missed, as if he didn't have complete motor control. "Please..." he croaked through split lips that bled and healed even as Zelgadis watched.  
  
It hurt, seeing Xelloss so weak, in pain. Suddenly angry at the Dragons for doing this to him, at Xelloss for letting it happen, at himself for not interfering, he ripped the last ward off.  
  
Xelloss gasped, wrapping his arms around himself and shuddering for a second. "Help..."  
  
"I am helping," Zelgadis snapped, immediately regretting doing so. Xelloss wasn't really the focal point of his anger. [B22] "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Need... staff."  
  
The chimera hurried over, scooping up Xelloss's shirt, cloak, bag, and what was left of his belongings, and grabbed the staff, pressing it into Xelloss's hands.  
  
Xelloss's eyes went wide, and then small whimperings began in the back of his throat, like an animal in pain. He reached for Zelgadis with the hand not gripping the staff, panting escaping between the whimpers. "Kin!" His voice was hoarse still, and full of desperate pleading.  
  
"What? I don't understand!" Xelloss was making no sense. How badly had those godsdamned dragons hurt him?!  
  
Slowly, Xelloss was regaining control over his body, pushing himself into an unsteady sitting position and reaching out for Zelgadis again, yet still the whimpers came. "Kin in... danger. Amelia. I have to... help her. Take me to..." He drew in a sharp breath as he tried to force himself to stand. "..to Amelia."  
  
Zelgadis looked at him blankly. "Amelia's fine. She just was feeling a bit ill."  
  
The Mazoku shook his head, whole body shaking with the effort. "She's... /dying/. I'm the only one who... can help. She's pack... kin. Must...help her." [A13]  
  
That sent a chill straight into Zelgadis's stomach. On one hand, Xelloss was in no shape for a healing like he'd done back in the Seiryuun palace. On the other hand... Amelia was one of the few people who cared for him, whom he'd do anything to protect. His friends were his true family, and he refused to just sit back and know she'd die. At least in this, he could do something.  
  
But...  
  
//"Xelloss is a big boy, he can take a little pain."//  
  
Xelloss must know his own limits.  
  
Zelgadis helped Xelloss to his feet, slinging one of the Mazoku's arms over his shoulders and half-carrying him, half- helping him walk towards the door. "Come on," he said grimly.  
  
***  
  
"And I have the strength to recognize  
  
that I don't know how to let you go."  
  
Guntair paced back and forth across the floor of Amelia's room, not noticing N-kun's eyes following his path. "I don't like this," he muttered for the thirtieth time.  
  
Nakoku had arrived first, and had sat by Amelia's bed, waiting. He wished he could interfere, but something inside him reminded that there was only one thing he could ever interfere in. Strange, that. He used to pretend the voice wasn't there, but lately... he'd been treating it as if it was an honest part of him. Any day now, he'd remember how it'd got there. He was sure of it.  
  
The trouble was that he /liked/ Amelia. He couldn't interfere in any way at all... now that she was unconscious, using his parents' knowledge of natural healing and making her a health-improving tea wouldn't help. And he most certainly couldn't interfere in the other way -- whatever that was; he knew he'd know one of these days. So instead of doing anything, he'd sat there, brushing back her bangs with his hands, watching his fingers lengthen as his body grew when the sun set, hoping that she could at least feel she wasn't alone. Finally, Guntair had shown up to see how she was doing, his worry that she might not get enough sleep overwhelmed by his desire to keep her safe. Nakoku had been able to report her condition, at least, and hadn't moved from his spot beside her bed.  
  
She was such a /nice/ girl.  
  
"Why won't she wake up?" Guntair demanded roughly, stopping pacing suddenly to throw himself to his knees beside her bed, taking her hands in his. He'd given up on waking her earlier, though he'd spent some concerted efforts to do so when he saw how pale and sweaty she was.  
  
"It's probably a fever-sleep," N-kun said, knowing it wasn't the truth but knowing that it was the best explanation Guntair would accept. "I used to get them when I was really little," he added, making the lie more real.  
  
She was slipping. He could feel it, and there was nothing he could do.  
  
Luna entered the room again. "No change?" She'd shown up about half an hour ago with Guntair, but kept leaving on 'Knight errands' [A14] and returning briefly. She'd deposited Chris in a corner the second time. The halfbreed girl continued to sit there, just watching them, knees pulled up to her chest, head on her knees, cast-iron waitressing tray beneath her hand on the floor.  
  
The Cepheed Knight hadn't been at all surprised to see Nakoku's natural form, but he could have guessed that. Chris hadn't even responded, but that... well, there was something broken about that one. Nakoku could sense it, somehow. Besides, waitresses were good at not commenting about that sort of thing.  
  
"No change I could see," Guntair growled, clearly hating his inability to do anything. Nakoku could understand. "Maybe I should get a healer..."  
  
"That'll be a bad idea," Luna said. "They'd have to remove the taint first and that could kill her." The waitress shook her head, expression unreadable. "Better to see if she can just sweat it out."  
  
Guntair buried his face in his arms. "I hate this," he muttered,  
  
voice muffled by the cloth.  
  
"We all do," Nakoku said, certain of that at least.  
  
Amelia was such a /nice/ girl.  
  
The door opened, and Guntair leaped to his feet. "Who's--"  
  
Zelgadis staggered through, half dragging Xelloss, shutting the door behind him with a foot. Xelloss shoved away slightly, leaning on his staff, and stumbling towards Amelia.  
  
Nakoku could foresee the next move and was absolutely not surprised to see it come to pass. He brushed Amelia's hair away from her sweat-soaked forehead.  
  
The black dragon blocked Xelloss's path. "Where do you think YOU'RE going?!"  
  
Xelloss seemed to hardly see him. "Must help Amelia."  
  
"Bullshit!" Guntair shouted. "If it hadn't been for your damn taint, she'd be able to be healed of this!"  
  
The Mazoku was shaking, clearly unsteady. Nakoku narrowed pupilless eyes. He hadn't shaken off the effects of the warding yet, or the normal 'tani wards were still keepign him unwell. "If it hadn't been for my... damn... taint, she'd be dead twice over..."  
  
Guntair was going to run over that, ignore what had been said, so Nakoku spoke up. "Twice over? What do you mean?"  
  
Surely that little interference didn't count.  
  
Xelloss wavered. "Please, let me to Amelia." The humble tone really seemed odd from him, but Nakoku guessed he didn't have much of a choice. There was more than what he himself wanted in this, there was... Someone else wanted this and Xelloss was NOT going to disobey.  
  
Luna sighed, speaking up to answer Nakoku's question. "I think I know, N-kun. If I'm right... the poison wasn't the kind that wears off, but circulates in her system, so Xelloss had to place a permanent block of dark energy to fight off the effects of the poison."  
  
Zelgadis and Guntair both made slight noises of surprise. Nakoku was not at all startled. Of course Luna knew. Luna knew a LOT of things. In an odd way... // Luna is like me.//  
  
Xelloss nodded, swaying wearily. "She's /dying/ Guntair. Let me to her."  
  
"But..."  
  
Luna continued. "The fact that the dark energy taint was constantly in battle with the poison is why she hasn't shown many signs of acting like a Mazoku. But... once inside the basic wards of the Tani, the dark energy was weakened, and the poison began to flow through her veins again. The only way to stop that is to give the taint a sustained boost. Am I right?"  
  
Xelloss nodded again. "Guntair... do you want her to live?"  
  
Guntair's eyes were wide and shocked. "But... why didn't you tell me this?!"  
  
The Cepheed Knight shrugged. "I wasn't sure. Besides... would you have listened?"  
  
"I don't like this!" Guntair cried. "She's having enough trouble with the taint as it is! I don't want her to become any more Mazoku!"  
  
Nakoku held his breath. Here it was, the deciding factor. Xelloss was saving his energy to help Amelia; should he put forward the will to push past the angry dragon in his current state, he wouldn't be able to bring Amelia back. Should Guntair step aside, Xelloss could save her. But Guntair was so stuck in his ways...  
  
"Let. Me. To. Her." It almost sounded like it hurt Xelloss to talk.  
  
"NO!" Guntair's voice had risen to an almost hysterical shout. "NO! I won't LET you!"  
  
Zelgadis stalked forward, every line of him snapping with angry tension. "Godsdamnit!" he swore, beginning to push Guntair to the side. "You aren't saying that because you don't want her to be like a Mazoku for HER sake! You're saying that because you're afraid of Mazoku! Get over it! Xelloss is NOT well, I took him from a state of torture /your/ people put him into!! It's going to hurt him like HELL to help Amelia and YOU are willing to let her die because of your memories! Damn it, deal with your personal problems at a different time! I, for one, am not willing to just let Amelia die!!"  
  
Guntair pushed away from him, face reading shock and pain. "I... I..." he began, then glanced back at Amelia, far too pale for her own good. "Cepheed damn me, do it!" he shouted, taking Xelloss by the shoulders and flinging him towards the girl. "Just save her! I..." his angry tone stopped as his lips moved, forming words that never got said, eyes seeing something far away and long ago. "Cepheed damn me," he murmured painfully, sinking down to the floor, and starting to cry.  
  
Nakoku left Amelia's bedside, eyes focused on the dragon. Who knew what Guntair was seeing? He had Hangups. Nakoku had seen it over and over again. He had never seen an adult man cry like this, though, great gulping sobs that wracked his whole body, seeming to draw himself away from everything in the room, make himself smaller. He didn't want to be touched, that much was for sure, but aside from Amelia, Guntair was one of the people who had been nicest to Nakoku.  
  
This wasn't interference, he was sure, as he knelt down beside the crying dragon and patted his hair, trying not to touch him so much that he descended into his own personal hell, but trying to give comfort. "It'll be okay," Nakoku whispered. Empty words.  
  
Guntair jerked away from his touch, curling tighter, not acknowledging he was there. Nakoku sighed. The only person able to pull Guntair from this was Guntair himself. [B23] He remained sitting there, but turned back to watch Xelloss.  
  
The Mazoku did NOT look well, but was nevertheless getting down to business; resting his staff against Amelia's unconsciousbody, leaning against Zelgadis so as not to waste energy trying to keep himself upright, or perhaps in an attempt to block some of the wardings. Whatever the reason, the Chimera knelt behind him, trying to keep Xelloss steady, looking angry or possibly worried. Probably both. The Mazoku rested his head on the sheets and took a wrist in each hand. Sighing slightly, Xelloss began to concentrate, and when Nakoku narrowed his eyes, he saw black energy begin to flow out of the Mazoku's body and into Amelia's, touching something inside her and slowly fanning it to life.  
  
Strangely, he got the feeling that he was the only person who could see it.  
  
He'd find out one of these days, really. [A15]  
  
It was on this thought that he heard the door open. [B24]  
  
Nakoku cursed mentally when he saw the woman standing there; she'd know his other form now, and she was clearly NOT the type to trust anyone. Too late to worry about that now. Zelgadis's brows furrowed as if trying to remember where he'd seen her. Luna sighed and placed her head in her hand, and Chris forced herself further back against the wall.  
  
"What is going on here?!" the woman demanded.  
  
Slowly, tears streaking his face and body still shaking, Guntair  
  
raised his head. "Mother?" [B25]  
  
"What is going ON here?!" Dalia screeched. "Who is that?!" she pointed towards Nakoku, who scooted away from her son, just to be on the safe side. //Not//, he pointed out wryly to herself, //that she'd ever done that great a job of protecting her son.// "How... what...?" Dalia finally saw what was going on near the bed. "The Mazoku..." she whispered, shocked. "The Mazoku's loose."  
  
Xelloss turned his head slightly, opening eyes with slightly dilated pupils and smiling at her. "Remember a promise I made, young lady?" he rasped.   
  
Zelgadis watched the woman with dark eyes, one hand on his sword-hilt, the other beginning to glow with a spell as he blocked both Amelia and Xelloss from the woman's potential attacks.  
  
Luna raised her hands. "Everyone, please. Calm down. I can explain every--"  
  
"The Mazoku's LOOSE!" Dalia was in no state to listen. "I have  
  
to sound the alarm! We'll put him back and then--"  
  
"NO!" Guntair stumbled to his feet, wild-eyed, clutching at his sword. "Amelia will DIE!"  
  
"Better her then us!" Dalia said in a panicked tone, backing towards the door. Luna blocked her path and the Ryuzoku woman spun to face her. "Cepheed Knight! How could you condone--"  
  
"Will you please calm down," Luna soothed, a blue glow starting near her forehead.  
  
Dalia slapped her.  
  
Luna's eyes couldn't be seen in the layers of shadows under her bangs, but the air seemed to freeze in motion near her. Very slowly, she straightened from the twisted pose the slap with Ryuzoku strength behind it had thrown her into. Quite possibly, Nakoku realized, only Cepheed's presence inside of her stopped her from being slammed through one of the walls.  
  
Guntair's mother didn't seem to notice. "You can't be the person you say you are! No Ryuzoku protector would EVER allow a Mazoku loose! Look at this! You're allowing taint to spread! I'm sounding the alarm!" She raised a gem on her necklace, which started to glow.  
  
//Communications device,// Nakoku noted, sitting back on his heels. He couldn't interfere. //We're toast. Amelia's going to die.//  
  
"I need--" Dalia began and -  
  
-crumpled.  
  
//Well, I'll be damned,// Nakoku thought. //I'd never have guessed.//  
  
Without a pause, as a voice from the gem began to ask what was wrong, Luna scooped up the device. "Dalia-san and I were just discussing a few things and she set the device off on accident. No problems here. Over and out." Luna shut the gem off and turned to their unlikely saviour. "Well done."  
  
Chris took a step backward from Dalia's crumpled body, clasping her now-dented cast iron waitressing tray to her chest, eyes wide with shock. "I'm sorry," she whispered, taking another step back.  
  
Guntair's brows creased. "Is she...?"  
  
The Cepheed Knight took a pulse. "Just unconscious."  
  
"Ah." Guntair lowered his head, a look of relief and disgust written across his features..  
  
Luna stood. "You all have to get out of here. Amelia won't be well until you're out, and it won't be long before people find out Xelloss is missing. I'll set up a Gate to just outside the Tani. Chris, you go get Lina-chan and Gourry-san."  
  
"Hai!" Chris backed towards the door, eyes still on Dalia's unconscious form. "I'll just... do that now!" She spun and set off in a run.  
  
Xelloss released Amelia and stood, trembling. Zelgadis immediately took one of his arms and flung it across his own shoulders. The Mazoku's eyes were opened. "I've stabilized Amelia for now," he said, very calmly. "And now I'm going to kill Dalia."  
  
Guntair's head shot up again. "No you aren't!" he shouted, jumping to his feet.  
  
The Mazoku eyed him, a slightly mad look in those slit-pupilled eyes implying that he wasn't all there at that time. "Why do you care? Look how she's treated you."  
  
"That... that doesn't matter!" Guntair shook his head wildly. "I hate her, yes, but there're some things people just don't let happen to family! She can go to Hell after death and rot for all I care, but I'm NOT going to watch as someone sends her there! She's FAMILY!"  
  
Xelloss leaned against Zelgadis. "I wouldn't know about that. All I know is that I promised I'd kill her for what she did to me. I don't  
  
break such promises."  
  
Nakoku watched with interest. This was new, but not that surprising. What would happen? Frankly, he was fine one way or the other. Dalia deserved death, but Guntair didn't deserve the guilt. It balanced.  
  
Balance was important.  
  
"We don't have time for this," Luna muttered, drawing a circle on the ground in chalk and starting on the sigils. "Has Xellas-chan approved this, Xelloss?"  
  
The Mazoku's eyes widened. "Not... yet..." he hedged.  
  
"Fine. So kill her later, after you've got approval. Argue it out with Guntair then. We don't have time for this now!"  
  
Xelloss lowered his head, allowing his weight to rest full against Zelgadis, as if the strength had drained from him. "Fine."  
  
Guntair growled, but didn't reach again for his blade . He turned towards the bed. Amelia was still pale, but her breathing was at a more natural pace. Nakoku watched him carefully pick the smaller girl up. She looked so delicate in his arms.  
  
//I hope it lasts through the end,// he thought, then wondered why.  
  
Lina and Gourry burst into the room, Chris entering quietly after and shutting the door. "What HAPPENED?!" Lina demanded. "Chris told me a few things, -- and pulled us away from dessert -- but..."  
  
"We've got to get out of here," Zelgadis told her. "They tortured Xelloss, the wards were killing Amelia because of the taint, and it's not long until the alarms go."  
  
"That's bad," Gourry said, the understatement of the week.  
  
"That's really bad," Lina corrected, turning to watch her older sister set up the gate. Nakoku observed a flash of fear cross her face. //Odd how old fears never die,// he mused, reflecting how in that respect, she was very similar to Guntair.  
  
Luna took a step back. "I'll open the gate in just a minute, but first I must charge you with a task, Lina-chan."  
  
Lina flinched and, for once, didn't argue. "Yes, Oneesan. What's the task?"  
  
Crossing her arms, the Cepheed Knight seemed once again to radiate power. "I have seen the thief who stole the part of Shabrinigido." A brief illusion of a green-haired boy flashed in the air. "Remember that face. He was on the road from Zefilia and heading North-West. I'm sure you can track him; Shabrinigido will be trying to call you there, if you listen. You MUST bring the Ruby Teardrop back to me. Without it, a war will start and most of the world's population would be destroyed. Do you understand?"  
  
"Sure," Lina sighed. "I've done harder things before, I guess."  
  
Nakoku's eyes widened. //She wouldn't! Hell, she just did. Well, no going back now.// "It should be fun!" he piped up. //And it might not turn out that way.// Deep inside, though, he knew that Something was about to happen.  
  
"Good." Luna turned back and murmured something, moving her hands in an elabourate gesture, and the gate energies flared up. "Go on!"  
  
Lina immediately dashed through, Gourry as always following close behind. Guntair followed, Amelia cradled in his arms, giving one last respectful nod to Luna. Zelgadis dragged Xelloss towards the gate, Xelloss using most of his strength to cling to the chimera and clutching the staff in his other, and before they were through, Luna whispered something in Xelloss's ear. The chimera eyed the two of them, but said nothing as he continued to bring his lover through the gate. Chris as well took a step towards the shifting gate, but Luna put a hand on her arm to stop her.  
  
The waitress's eyes widened again. "But--" she began, gesturing towards the fallen Dalia. "But she--"  
  
Luna shook her head. "I can explain everything," she said with a very dark smile, and Chris stepped back, submissive.  
  
//There's something broken about that one.//  
  
Turning, the Cepheed Knight eyed him. "Well? Are you going or is there something you wish to say? I can't hold this gate forever, ya know."  
  
He sighed. "I wish you luck," he said, barely knowing why. Oddly, he had the feeling that this woman knew more about himself than he did.  
  
"Thank you," she said. "In the end, it will either be destruction or more stasis. That's the way it's always been. I haven't done anything except attempt to start the cycle again."  
  
Shrugging, sure that he'd understand (one day, at least), he stepped through the gate.  
  
***  
  
//I don't know how to let you go.//  
  
Lina sighed, watching the fire. They were out. They'd traveled for several hours until they were sure they were safe for this night, at least. Amelia had come to, but was very groggy and uncertain on her ordeal. Guntair had refused to let her walk on her own, carrying her instead.  
  
They were cute.  
  
Zelgadis was talking quietly to Xelloss, who was shaking his head rapidly, denying something. Another few short words from Zelgadis, and a sheepish shrug.  
  
They... she /still/ didn't know what to think. She didn't approve, that was sure. Xelloss was... just... so... well, he couldn't be good for Zelgadis. That was all.  
  
And she wasn't jealous either.  
  
She found her gaze wandering towards Gourry, the shadows the fire played on his face as he also watched the dancing flames. Something inside her jerked, and she yanked her gaze away, back to the fire.  
  
//No. It would never work. He was a good friend. (Just a friend.) I mean, Gourry. He was Gourry. That said it all.// There was no romance for her in her plans, none whatsoever. She was better off without it, anyway.  
  
Her chest was hurting. //Must have run too far today.//  
  
Then there was N-kun. The leather-clad cursed boy was sitting with his back to the tree, clearly nodding off, just the bottom of his lime green irises visible beneath his closing eyelids.  
  
He was no more than what he seemed. Of them all, there was that at least.  
  
She closed her own eyes, sighing again. //So. Oneesan sends me on another quest.// Her smile twisted. //Recover a part of Shabrinigido. Well, this should be easier than the last one, at least. I'm betting old Ruby Eyed is rather anxious for me to get my hands on it. Maybe I can fool him into thinking I'll do something for him and just give it back to her. That'll show him for invading my dreams all these nights.//  
  
//Yeah, that'll show him.//  
  
Lina was jerked back into full wakefulness by the sound of Xelloss's voice by her ear.  
  
"Lina-san, are you awake?"  
  
She opened her eye, pretending she hadn't just been about to fall  
  
asleep. "Yeah, what?"  
  
Xelloss sat back on his heels. Oddly, his burn marks were still visible. Normally, he healed faster than that. "Luna-chan requested I talk to you about a few things, and the others should listen to this as well." He paused as the others drew nearer. N-kun remained leaning against his tree, eyes hardly open.  
  
"I'm listening," Lina told him, feigning disinterest, wondering why her sister hadn't just told her herself.  
  
"It's about the true nature of the Knights..."  
  
The end for now. To be continued in Foes part 2.  
  
Author's and Beta Reader's notes:  
  
Boy, this took a long time to come out, eh? Well, it's done. Finally. Phew. Yeah. There will be more, btw. 2 whole more parts. Don't you just feel special? Don't I just feel exhausted?  
  
Ishiki:Yaay! *little flags are waved in celebration* Now doesn't that make you just wanna go write some more, 'kami-chan? Like, how 'bout, right now? It's not like you need to sleep, or eat, or study... really!  
  
Harukami: *Biiiiig sweatdrop*  
  
A1  
  
"...sothebaththingwasbutnottheotherthing..."  
  
Author: Uhuh. The bath thing. I've got a lovely manga (doujinshi?)  
  
picture of that, btw. Droolsome. *demonstrates*  
  
Ishiki: *hands the author a bucket*  
  
B1  
  
"All of his beliefs shattered as Xelloss flung himself at the Cepheed Knight and hugged her. "Luna-chan! It's been a while!" "  
  
Ishiki:Hopefully, Xelloss didn't 'miss'. Of course, Luna has a much larger, um, tracks of land, but still... not only would that kill even *more* of Guntair's mind, but Zel would Not Be Happy.  
  
A2  
  
"Xelloss-chan! You can say that again!"  
  
Author: Xelloss-chan? Oh dear. And watch Zelgadis foam at the mouth. ^_^  
  
A3  
  
"Ixnay on the rankspray."  
  
Author: Yesss.... pig latin is a common language in the Slayers world... why?  
  
B2  
  
"Oh, and Juuou-sama is mad that you haven't been by for a while."   
  
Ishiki: *as Xellas* "You never call, you never write, you don't love me anymore..."  
  
B3  
  
"Guntair looked at the ground, almost imagining he could see the shattered remains of his ideals there. "  
  
Ishiki: Yeah Guntair, your ideals are right there mixed in with Zel's sanity, Amelia's days of peaceful sleep and Lina's mind...  
  
B4  
  
"Zelgadis watched this new girl coolly. Well. SHE certainly made Xelloss happy."  
  
Ishiki: Not as happy as you make him, 'sweetie pie'.  
  
A4  
  
"She can't have him."  
  
Author: And he says he's not jealous.  
  
B5  
  
"He closed his eyes and tried to calm down. //Breathe. Breathe. Think, don't feel. Just think. Try not to...// "  
  
Ishiki: ... leap over and show the world that Xelloss is most definitely yours? Ohh, *that* would be interesting...  
  
Harukami: *giggles at the mental image of Zel clutching at Xel's groin and growling at everyone...*  
  
B6  
  
"Well, she wasn't asleep, Gourry decided worriedly. That probably meant that... was she unconscious? "Lina?" "  
  
Ishiki: It's odd. Whenever Lina is attacked, Gourry is often the first person to go on defense, but whenever anything that isn't related to protecting her from other people happens, he's the first one confused.   
  
Harukami: He's trained in fighting. He's not trained in psychiatry or healing.  
  
B7  
  
"You're sorry? Why are you sorry for looking at the ground?"  
  
Poor Gourry. With the crowd he hangs out with, it's understandable why he wouldn't recognize bashfulness for what it is.  
  
B8  
  
"She's probably just a normal country girl who followed Luna for whatever reason. And she's a waitress. I doubt anyone's ever really talked to her before. She somehow took up with Luna, and -- huh. I pity the poor girl."   
  
Ishiki: Zel, you wouldn't know normal if it hit you over the head with a two by four.  
  
Harukami: Hear, hear!  
  
A5  
  
"I just wish she'd wake up."  
  
Author: I'm a Lina/Gourry fan. Can you tell?  
  
A6  
  
"I'm here now and I'm going to be with you always. She's dead and she  
  
can't hurt you anymore..."  
  
Author: Ack, does anyone else hear my GIRLFRIEND speaking those lines? 00  
  
Ishiki: *shudders*  
  
Author: *mildly* Don't shudder at my girlfriend.  
  
B9  
  
"How?" Amelia crossed her arms, pulling away from Guntair. "How is my being Mazoku-tainted any different from your definition of 'corrupt'... and 'deserving to be slaughtered'?"  
  
"You would have died!"   
  
Ishiki: Ohh, Valgarv parallels... 'Cept, of course, *he* went all the way, and willingly... Ack! I meant in becoming a mazoku! Not that! Mind out of the gutter... out of the gutter... oh damn...  
  
Harukami: *happily nodding and smiling* Yep, he definately went all the way with Garv. *pulls on a rubber parka and gets out an air tank as the Hentai Tsunami crashes down around them*  
  
B10  
  
"I love you. Don't leave me."  
  
She chuckled. "You don't have to worry about th--"   
  
Ishiki: *as Amelia* "-at unless Luna-san keeps putting off visiting Xellas-sama. Really. And it's not that I don't love you, but she's my master, and you know how these things go..."  
  
B11  
  
"If you don't know," the weakened Xelloss mocked, eyes open and dark, "I'm not going to tell you."   
  
Ishiki: Methinks that someone has been dressing like a girl too much...   
  
A7  
  
"You're not hurting Lina!"  
  
Author: And my bias becomes even more apparent.  
  
B12  
  
"Mm." Lina blinked at him. Zelgadis did not look good. He seemed on the knife's edge of angry, and though Lina had never brought it up, his getting angry reminded her of the average Mazoku. She searched for a possibly safe subject. "Where is everyone?"   
  
Ishiki: Lina-chan, that is *not* a safe subject.  
  
B13  
  
"N-kun grinned, eyes up in happy smile shapes. "You bet! I wanna meet your family!" He held out his arms, obviously expecting to be  
  
carried. "  
  
Ishiki: And for all the poor dragon lad knows, the kid doesn't have any family of his own. Oh, what a *pleasant* reintroduction to domestic life this will be...  
  
Harukami: Actually, Gun BELIEVES N-kun doesn't have any family. Remember his (fictional) dead sister?  
  
A8  
  
"Mazoku and Mazoku-tainted? Really, Guntair, I thought I raised you  
  
better than that."  
  
Author: *hisses* You know you hate your own characters when...  
  
B14  
  
"//Why am I so jumpy?// "  
  
Ishiki: Because some small part of you expects paranoid ryuuozoku to jump out and kill you any minute now? Or you're missing the extra edge the taint probably gave to your senses, especially your instinct for sensing danger?  
  
Harukami: *whistles innocently*   
  
B15  
  
"My stomach feels like it's trying to turn itself inside out and my head aches all the way through... I feel a little lightheaded." Even feeling like she did, she couldn't keep a smile from crossing her face. "Your prognosis, Dr. Guntair?"   
  
Ishiki: Guntair and Amelia play doctor. Interesting.  
  
Harukami: *reads the above sentance and breaks out laughing*  
  
B16  
  
""Are you sure?" his voice seemed to be in two registers at the same time..."  
  
Ishiki: Like the neat thing that L-sama's voice does, the two tones at once? Cool.  
  
Harukami: *applauds sarcastically*  
  
B17  
  
"Zelgadis didn't respond. //That doesn't mean I have to like it.// "How'd you meet him?"  
  
The Cepheed Knight propped her feet up on Lina's bed. "Showed up  
  
at my doorstep one day as an emissary." "  
  
Ishiki: FINISH THAT STORY, 'KAMI-CHAN!!! I WANT MORE OF IT!!!  
  
Harukami: *cleans her ear out with a finger and winces* Yes, dear. Working on it, dear. Have it up to 9 pages handwritten, dear.  
  
A9  
  
"...we will try our damnedest to kill each other, no holds barred, even though we're lovers."  
  
Author: Okay, so I couldn't resist throwing just a LITTLE Yuri in.  
  
A10  
  
"//Damn stuck up bastards, not letting a person steal just because she's a girl.// "  
  
Author: There IS a reason for this.  
  
A11  
  
"I think he's coming to, sir."  
  
Author: Yep. The promised Xelloss torture scene! Huzzah!  
  
B18  
  
"Gaze flickering back and forth between the Ryuzoku and Xelloss, she seemed to have forgotten what she was saying and stammered, "and... and... that's it..." "  
  
Ishiki: So tell me, ojousan, who are the monsters here? The dragons that you were raised to hate and fear, the mazoku whom everyone are taught to hate and fear, or both? Perhaps neither? Both are only doing what they must. Tell me, ojousan, I would really like to know...  
  
B19  
  
""Go to your dinner, young lady. Eat, drink, and be merry..." [B19] The paper touched his forehead, leaving the rest of his sentiment unheard as his mind fled. "  
  
Ishiki:...for tomorrow you die? Is that a quote from somewhere, or just my twisted mind? I can't remember...  
  
Harukami: Oh, it's a quote, all right. I just wish I could remember from where...  
  
A12  
  
"//The... A PIECE OF Shabrinigido?!// "  
  
Author: Well, I'd find it shocking.  
  
B20  
  
"No. We have other duties We must attend to, not the least of which is raising one who has been ignored by her own race. One of the Guardians will go."  
  
"Let me," The Elder begged. "Let me make up for our error--"  
  
Ishiki: You idiot, you really think that Luna doesn't know the contempt you hold for Chris? If nothing else, that would no doubt stop her - them - from choosing you to mend a much larger mistake...  
  
B21  
  
"//And what gives ME the right to be that person?!// "  
  
Ishiki: A night on silk sheets, with amethyst eyes gazing into your own, and the touch of his hands and his mind. Don't you remember? And every breath, every heartbeat since then, and no small few before. Silly boy.  
  
Harukami: See? SEE? This is how she writes her stories, or perhaps even BETTER than this! COME ON EVERYBODY! BUG HER FOR 'OTHER VOICES'!!!  
  
B22  
  
"I am helping," Zelgadis snapped, immediately regretting doing so. Xelloss wasn't really the focal point of his anger. [B22] "What do you want me to do?"  
  
Ishiki: Yeah, but your anger, frustration, and regret are no doubt helping him; after all, he is a Mazoku.  
  
A13  
  
"She's... /dying/. I'm the only one who... can help. She's pack... kin. Must...help her."  
  
Author: Yeah, Xelas LIKES Amelia.  
  
Ishiki: And if priest boy there doesn't hurry up and save her, Xelas'd probably take it out on his hide.  
  
A14  
  
"...but kept leaving on 'Knight errands'..."  
  
Author: Knight Errants?  
  
B23  
  
" Guntair jerked away from his touch, curling tighter, not acknowledging he was there. Nakoku sighed. The only person able to pull Guntair from this was Guntair himself. "  
  
Ishiki: That's it Guntair. Even if you can't help Amelia directly, the emotions you're broadcasting are probably feeding every Mazoku from here to Zephilia.  
  
A15  
  
"He'd find out one of these days, really."  
  
Author: Hehehehehehe!!!  
  
B24  
  
It was on this thought that he heard the door open.   
  
Ishiki: And in the background, there is an inconspicuous ominous clap of thunder.  
  
Harukami: Dum da da da DUMMMM!!  
  
B25  
  
" Slowly, tears streaking his face and body still shaking, Guntair raised his head. "Mother?" "  
  
Ishiki: Eh, poor dragon lad. There he is, trapped in his memories, and who should snap him out of it, but one of the two women at the heart of his personal hell... Sure, Yume abused him for two hundred years, but his mother's influence probably made it all the easier to break him.  
  
Ishiki: Good luck with the rest of it, 'kami-chan! The voices in my head are rooting for ya!  
  
Harukami: Thank you. Hopefully, we'll see "Other Voices" soon, right? 


End file.
